The Difference In You
by bluemangosmoothie
Summary: Rapunzel has lived for seven years across the street from the annoyng Jack Frost. On her seventeenth brithday, though, it's as if she sees a whole new Jack Frost. They both learn that they are orphans and want to find their parents. Through this, Rapunzel starts to fall head over heels for Jack. But will they work out? Rated T to be safe. Does anybody read these?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Neighbor**

_**Rapunzel**_

I was sitting on the steps when the moving truck pulled up to the house across the street. I can still remember it quite clearly, though that was seven years ago. I was ten and wearing my favorite shirt, my mom's old Beetles shirt, and my hair was in two braids. I had immediately sprung up and ran inside to tell Mother. Her back was to me and she was cooking dinner already.

"Mom, somebody's moving in across the street," I said. I was excited to meet them.

"That's good."

I wiggled impatiently, "Can I go over and say hello?"

Mother laughed and turned to me, "Wait until the moving truck leaves, _then _go and say hello."Throughout the afternoon, I waited for the truck to leave. I tired to amuse myself by painting, coloring, singing to my radio/clock, and reading the Harry Potter series. None of that worked. I would keep glancing out the window to try to see people, but the mover's truck blocked the garage.

I finally put away my books and decided to daydream about what they looked like. Maybe a brunette girl just my age who loved painting and reading and singing. We would have sleepovers and would share funny stories about our families. Her little brother would pester us, her mother would be kind and nice to be around, and her daddy would joke with us and make us laugh. We would be best friends forever.

That must have worked, because finally the moving truck pulled away from the house. With a happy yelp, I flipped off my bed, ran down stairs, and into the yard.

"Rapunzel, wait!" I stopped to see Mother following from behind. She was holding a pot of something; from the smell, I guessed hazelnut soup.

We stopped in front of the bright red door and Mother rang the doorbell. I looked at the paint on the house. Where there was not brick, there was mint green pain and the bushes were neatly trimmed. The door swung open to a brunette man in a white shirt and jeans. It looked like he had not shaved in a day or so.

"Hello!" He greeted. "What can I help you with?"

Mother smiled, "My name is Gothel and this is Rapunzel. We saw you moving in and decided to stop by to welcome you to Disneyworks ct." Disneyworks drive is the road we live on. It has eight houses and a night watch officer.

"Well thank you. I have a son named Jack and my name is Manny Frost," My heart sank. No girl to be friends with, to have sleepovers with, and laugh with, and to be best friends. "Hey Jack," Mr. Frost called in. "We have visitors." I heard a pattering of feet and looked around Mr. Frost to see a boy with white hair and blue eyes walk up. He wore a blue sweatshirt and brown pants.

Mr. Frost kneeled down in front of me, "So, your name is Rapunzel?" I nodded and waited for the confusion. "I like it. It has its own uniqueness and diversity." I smiled and mumbled thank you.

Mother spoke, "Rapunzel here is ten and she's about to go into fifth grade! Time flies so fast." Mr. Frost nodded.

"Actually Jack here," the man pushed Jack forward. "Jack is going into fifth grade too. He has been enrolled into Burgess Elementary School."

Mother laughed and said, "How coincidental. Rapunzel too."

Thunder boomed in the distance and dark clouds were rolling in from the north. Mr. Frost looked around, "Why don't you come in before this storm hits. You don't want to get caught in this one." He ushered us in and Mother went for the bar stool and I went to the couch where Jack was. Mr. Frost and Mother talked in the kitchen while Jack and I just stared at each other.

I cleared my throat, "Hi I'm Rapunzel. Your dad is really cool." Jack nodded but stared at the table. I kept talking. "I live across the street and I saw you move in so I waited for the moving truck to leave. Mother and I brought Hazelnut soup and it is great. I hope you like it." Jack nodded again his eyes still on the table. I looked at it and saw a Harry Potter book. "Do you read Harry Potter?" Jack shook his head, "I don't like to read."

I glared, "Reading is a great way to learn." Jack glared back.

"What Goldilocks, afraid of ignorance?" He smirked.

_That little brat. How dare he call me Goldilocks! I hate him already, _I thought.

"What is your problem?" I asked the white haired boy.

He leaned close, "You." I stood up then and walked out of the house and into the storming streets. I ran across the road and into my house, where it was war and familiar. That kid is such a jerk. I vowed that night that I would never say a kind thing to Jack Frost. The irony is, seven years later, I fell in love with him.

_**Hey guys. This morning while sitting in church, I daydreamed of this and I was like, "Holy crap I need to type this down". Therefore, I did. Several hours later. I couldn't figure out what to write for Our Little Secret. Therefore, I made this instead. Don't worry I can do both… I think. Moreover, it is short but I decided to leave you hanging because I am evil. Bwa hahahaha. **_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey people, I feel like I sucked at Jack's part so do not feel surprised. Also all that scientific crap is true. I looked it up. My teacher would be sooooo proud. In addition, I am sorry to all you Kelsey's out there. It just sort of came out. I guess._ Chapter 2

The Change

_**Rapunzel**_

Yes, I will admit it; I am in love with Jack Frost. I cannot help it. In fact, I do not even _want_ to love him. It was just instantaneous.

It all started on my seventeenth birthday, a few months ago. Mother was having a party and she invited all of the neighbors. That meant that Manny and Jack came over. All of my friends were there dancing and laughing. We had an awesome time. We gathered around the cake, ready for the birthday and song. Everybody belted it out as off key as possible. I laughed as they sang the last few words.

"Make a wish!" Mother yelled. I gulped in as much air as possible and blew it out while whispering my wish repeatedly in my head. Everybody cheered and cameras went off. I looked up, my eyes caught Jack's, and immediately everything dimmed and slowed as I stared into the Albino's beautiful blue eyes. I only looked away as Anna, one of my friends, put a cake slicer into my hand. I cut up the cake and searched for Jack at the same time. He was gone and my heart ached. _Stop it heart, it would have never had worked out anyway, _I had thought. My heart pounded with sadness anyways.

Therefore, it was almost like magic. Almost like God had ignored my birthday wish and instead gave me this one. I stare out the window, now in present time, staring right at Jack's window, my traitorous heart begging him to see me.

God decided to grant that wish, as Jack came to the window and stared out. _Crap,_ I thought as Jack's eyes met mine. I awkwardly waved and he waved back. I sighed, left the room, and went downstairs. _Why can't you ever be cool, Punzie? _I thought bitterly. I grabbed a drink and sat on the couch. Outside, snow fell in delicate small bunches. It is odd to have snow already, because it's only November. With a sigh, I pulled on my wool jack, put a beanie over my knee length blond hair, and stepped out into the cold. With a laugh, I dropped onto the snow-speckled grass and stared at the gray clouds above me.

A door slammed behind me and I looked up to see Jack walking to me in his signature blue hoodie. He had no shoes.

"Won't your toes freeze, Frost?" I asked sarcastically.

Jack chuckled, "I'm used to this crap." He lay down next to me.

I stared at his blue eyes, "Why are you here?"

He put his arms behind his head, "Depends on what you're doing here."

"Staring at the sky and watching the snow fall down. Your turn."

"Well, I'm staring at the sky, watching the snow fall down while talking to you."

I smirked, "Clever." After that, we just stared at the sky, not saying anything. Jack kept looking at me, but I ignored him.

He looked like he wanted to say something. Finally, I whispered, "What?"

Jack looked up and did not say anything. _Really?_ I thought.

"Have you every wondered," Jack whispered. "Why you look nothing like your Mom and why I look nothing like Manny?"

"Yes, lots of times."

"Well, my case could be of genetics, you know 1 person in a crowd of 17, ooo could turn out to be an Albino. Yours is different, you don't have a father, your Mother looks nothing like you, and you don't sound the same," Jack said. I nodded, confused by why he decided to talk about this.

I spoke up, "But don't normal albinos have gray eyes and not blue? They also don't have gray shadows on the eyes either."

"Yeah, I'm the weirdo of science," He said with jazz hands. I giggled. _What a dork._

"So is Manny your real father?" I asked. "I mean you two look nothing alike, features wise." I added quickly, I did not want to offend him.

"No, Manny isn't my father," I looked at Jack inquiringly. "He told me a few weeks ago that sixteen years ago, while Manny was working here, a woman walked up to his apartment door. She rang the doorbell and Manny opened the door. The woman had a jacket pulled over her head and you could only see the tip of her nose.

"She said, 'Mr. Frost, I can't look after my baby anymore. If you could please take care of him, I would be eternally grateful.' She handed the baby over to Manny, he asked for the baby's name, and the woman said 'Jack'. After that, she left. Manny never saw her again," Jack said angrily. He turned and bore his blue eyes into my green eyes. "You know the part that I hate? She never shed a singled tear. Not a sob came out or any sign of regret. After that, Manny left Burgess and went on to other places with me at his wake."

Jack's voice had hardened throughout the story. I flinched when I saw tears in his eyes. I felt like I needed to his see a smile, a laugh, or a smirk.

"If… if it makes you feel better, the day I met you, I swore to never _ever_ like you," I smiled. "Yet here we are seven years later, a foot away from each other and talking like old friends." To my relief he smiled. A breeze picked up and chilled me to the bone. I began to shiver but I did not want to leave.

Instead, Jack decided to, "Well I'd better go before hypothermia sets in."

"Hey, Jack," He turned.

"What?"

I gulped, "Why did you tell me that?"

He paused for a moment, "…Because everyone else wouldn't have been as genuine as you." He left then, leaving me in shock on the grass.

I finally left when the shivers made my whole body shake. I retreated into the warm house where Jacks parting words sat on my mind as heavy as an elephant. _He called me genuine; he called me genuine._ I cursed myself for freaking out over the smallest things.

I thought to myself, _Maybe I will forget it by morning._ Therefore, I fell asleep with an empty hope on my mind.

This morning I did not want to go to school. Only I have to. _Grrrr,_ I thought as I ate breakfast. I was done with my shower in minutes, done with air in the same time, makeup was easy since I only wear a little bit, and clothes were a no-brainer. As I was brushing my teeth, I remembered the night before. _He called me genuine,_ I thought. I shook my head. _No1 No! Think of fifth grade, goldilocks, something to piss you off at him. _I could not. He was too damn nice all of a sudden. I looked at my watch. Crap! I was late.

I ran out of the garage and started my car, or at least tried. It stuttered, clicked, and died.

"No! Don't die car, please don't die on me!" I tired again but it was useless, my car was dead. I sat back in my seat and breathed through my nose. _You can make it Rapunzel, run fast. _Therefore, I did, while taking shortcuts through alleys and dodging crowds.

I ran up the Burgess High stairs and through the hallway.

"Wait Mrs. Collins, wait!" She was shutting the door. Wit a gasp I collapsed into my seat. I must have run at least two miles nonstop.

The rest of the day was pretty boring and tedious. I would every now and then catch myself looking for Jack. The only class that I knew he was in was Biology at the end of the day. I kept staring at the back of his head, waiting for him to turn his head and look at me. Mr. Burke kept calling on me to trip me up and most of the time he did.

"Rapunzel, how many cellular nuclei does the pollen tube of angiosperms have?" Mr. Burke asked.

I looked down in desperation, "Uhh…."

"Does anybody else know?" Mr. Burke asked. I saw many hands go up and one that I dreaded would be chosen. "Yes, Kelsey?" _Damn_, I thought.

Her annoying voice floated through the room, "Three, sir. There is one tube cell and two sperm nuclei."

"Good Kelsey! Thank you for being on task," The last part was directed to me. I cringed. I looked up to see Jack staring at me.

"What," I whispered.

He looked like he was going to say something but then said, "Never mind."

When the bell rang, I sat in my seat, still unsure how to get home. Finding no conclusions, I decided to walk.

"Rapunzel, do you need anything?" Mr. Burke said. _Yeah a ride home, _I thought. "Rapunzel?"

"Oh I'm fine Mr. Burke," I said as I gathered my books.

"You seemed fairly distracted today; Rapunzel is there anything bothering you?"

"I'm okay," I walked to the door. He said good-bye and I did too. When I looked out the door, the hallway was deserted. Wit a sigh, I shouldered my purse and my book bag and I walked out of the school.

I was taking all the short cuts I knew and it was not long before I became lost. The streets were unfamiliar and I turned into an alley. After turning the corner, I realized that I would come to a dead end. _Crap_, I thought. _A freaking dead end._ I turned around to see three people in my way.

I tried to walk past, "Excuse me." One obliged but the guy next to him grabbed my arm. With a squeal, he twisted me around so that I was once again blocked.

"Give us your purse, honey," The man's voice was gravelly and under his beanie, I could see red hair. Same with the guy next to him. "And we won't hurt you." The man at the far end pulled out a gun. I screeched and scooted back. The man that moved aside for me spoke up.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this, guys. She is just a kid in high school," The man said. Underneath his hoodie was dark brown hair with a lot of hairspray.

"If you don't like it then leave, Flynn," The man, Flynn, nodded and left me alone with the two redheads.

"Please, please, just take my purse a-and m-my wallet too," The talkative one grabbed my arm and I screamed, sure I would die. "Help somebody, please! Help me!" I screamed. The man slapped me and I whimpered. He pushed me on the ground and searched through my purse. The one with the gun pushed through my books.

"Jackpot!" Yelled the talkative one. He held up my wallet with all my money and credit cards and school IDs. The quiet man pointed the gun at my face and grunted.

"I could careless, Elliot. Go ahead," Said the talkative one. Elliot, to my surprise, put away the gun, but then pulled out a knife.

"Please! Stop and think for a minute about what you're doing!" I begged. He stalked closer and with each step, my heart raced faster. He was foot away now. I shut my eyes tight and screamed when I heard a flat banging noise. I looked up in surprise to see to blue eyes the color of the ocean.

_**Jack**_

My heart had stopped cold when I heard a scream. It was not just any scream; it was a scream of the girl who had hated me for seven years.

The only way I recognized it was because, one night three years ago, she had had her friends over for a party and they watching a movie. I heard her scream at a scary part and it stuck with me since then. I ran to where it was coming from and saw Goldilocks on the alley floor with two people looking through her bags. From where I could see, one had a gun and the other, I am not too sure.

A grunting sound appeared and a voice said, "I could care less, Elliot. Go ahead." Rapunzel began to scream and beg. I noticed something on the ground, a frying pan, and picked it up. I watched the two brothers but went after the one named Elliot.

He clicked the gun and with a bang! I hit him on the head. He crumpled to the ground unconscious. Rapunzel stared at me; her unnerving green eyes followed me as I picked up the gun.

"What the-!" I heard from behind. I pointed the gun at the thief.

"Got anything to say now?" I asked. The man backed up to the wall and I tossed my phone to Rapunzel. "Call the cops please."

The man kneeled to the ground where he sat while Rapunzel talked.

"Hello? Is this the police? Listen w-we have some people that tried to mug me… There were three guys… One was named Flynn, one was named Elliot, and I do not know the last guy… A boy from school found me, knocked one of the people out, and took his gun… Right now, we have the conscious guy up against the wall….

"I don't know where we are, somewhere near the hood of Burgess. Alright then… bye." She hung up.

Somewhere far away we heard sirens. They stopped nearby and the cops came rushing down the alley. They took the gun I was holding and hand cuffed the two people. Rapunzel broke down in the questioning and I had to tell the rest of it.

After two hours of this, Manny finally came by.

"Hey Rapunzel, you're Mom can't come get you, she's stuck in traffic," Manny said. Through the ride back, she was quiet. Not cracking a smile when I said funny jokes and only mumbled a thank you to Manny. She ran across the street and rushed into her house with me feeling bad behind her.

The time that I fell in love with her was unspecific; as if she came into school, one day and I could not stop staring, not that she noticed. I guess it was in the seventh grade. Since then everything changed for me. Except at her seventeenth birthday party, I was sure that we had shared something. Apparently it was all for not. Now I feel heart broken and forgotten.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey there people. In the comments, I noticed there was confusion.**

**Jaynie: I was not referring to Manny, I meant Rapunzel. So sorry! I didn't even notice it. On to Chapter 3!**

Chapter 3

?

_**Jack**_

I don't know why I even first fell for her. Rapunzel was just suddenly irresistible. It quickly escalated from noticing her in the hall to staring each time she is distracted.

The first time I met her, I was so angry that we left Corona, where all my friends were, and came to dreary Burgess. I did not want to stand out because of my white hair and pale skin. Instead of being polite, I took it out on Rapunzel. Her bright happy personality bugged me. Now I cursed at the young, ignorant me. If they ever invent a time machine, I am going back to that day and slapping me on the face.

I didn't have to worry all that much since a few weeks later, I became one of the popular crowds. The downside is that girls fall all over me because of Kelsey Reeves. She has decided that I am worthy enough to be her little boy toy until either; one. Somebody comes crawling back, or 2. She finds somebody else to be her lap dog.

"Jack!" I heard a screechy voice in my ear. Kelsey hugged me. "How've you been? It seems like forever since I've seen you." I shrugged her arms off and stepped away.

"Can you stop grabbing me?" I asked. "I'm not exactly a hugger." _To you,_ I added silently.

She pouted and brown hair fell in her face, "Oh come on! I've had a bad week so far."

I picked up my book bag, "It's only Tuesday."

"Fine a bad day so far," She launched into a dramatic story about how her brother, a graduate student, moved in and blabbedy, blah, blah. As I weaved through the crowds, I desperately tried to get away from her.

She hung on like a leech, even when I nodded for help from the football players and they nearly ran her over. People stared as she rushed after my lunge-walking figure and she squealed as she slipped a little.

"Jack! I need to tell you something!" Kelsey whined, her nails digging into my arm.

"What?"

"Will you come to the winter's eve Gala with me?" She smiled a smile that most boys would melt for, and maybe make out with afterwards.

I heard a crystalline laugh from down the hall, _Rapunzel._ Kelsey shook my arm, "Well?"

"Maybe," I pulled Kelsey's gripping hand off my arm and walked down the hall. I smirked when I heard her screech, "Maybe?!" What diva.

I turned the corner to see golden blonde hair and small frame that I was so familiar. Her friend, Ella (I think), stopped and stared when her eyes met mine. She whispered to Rapunzel and the golden haired girl straightened her turned back and dashed down the hall. "Wait Rapunzel, I need to talk to you," I lost her in the congested hall. I stopped running and stood in the flowing rivers of people. My mind searched for reasons why she left like that. _She's late for class maybe. She forgot about something?_ I could find no other reasons. My face turned red in anger and embarrassment andI turned and dashed out the front doors and into my light blue car and drove off.

I didn't drive anywhere in particular. I eventually stopped at a McDonalds to get something to eat. After that, I drove home and stepped into my house.

_She ran away, she ran AWAY! _I growled and kicked an old box. I destroyed the box and took out my street hockey gear, ready to break a stick.

By the time I finished, the net had basketball sized holes in them. I walked into my room and collapsed on the bed. The winter's eve Dance is only a few days away.

Outside a car rolled down the street and parked into Rapunzels driveway. She stepped out of her rusty brown truck and walked into the house. I studied her from her bedroom window; her knee-length hair was in a messy bun and her jeans had holes all over.

Outside her window were vines that reached all the way to her attic. _Vines, I wonder..._ An idea popped in my head. Sure, it was not original, but it would work.

_**Rapunzel**_

After I walked into my familiar house, I walked into my room with my breath already hitching. The tears poured slowly from stream sized, to river sized, and then to waterfall sized. By that point, I was sobbing. I had been doing that nonstop for a day since I was mugged.

Every little noise scared me, so I jumped three feet when I heard a yelp. I yanked open the window and looked out.

A familiar white head was below cursing, "Mother…and me… You… turds…." I giggled and called, "Having a nice trip?" Jack looked up from the vines he was climbing.

"Yeah… this was so much easier in my head," I giggled louder this time.

I quirked a brow, "Have you ever heard of doors? They're a great invention. You should try them." He huffed his way up to my height, where he swung through the window. His six foot two build took up a lot of the room. His head nearly hit my ceiling fan.

"Okay, now that you're up here, can I ask why you are up here?" I asked. Jack glanced down.

"I had to ask you why you ran away from me," His blue eyes didn't leave the floor. "Don't deny it. You're friend… um Ella?"

"Ashley."

"Ashley told you that I was coming," Jack's piercing gaze finally met mine. I looked at the floor guiltily. I shrugged. Jack lifted his hands to my chin and forced my face upward. I flinched away.

"Rapunzel, what's wrong?" His worried eyes met mine and tears started to pool. I turned away, determined not let him see me cry.

"Nothing," I said hoarsely. "I'm fine obviously." Jack sighed in exasperation.

"Oh cut the act Rapunzel, you're crying, I can tell," Jack said. I opened my mouth to retort but before I could, the dams flooded and sobs escaped. My face fell into my hands and my shoulders shook. "Don't worry," Jack mumbled. "You're fine, trust me." His arms reached around behind me and I stiffened. The sons stopped but the tears kept coming. I straitened and turned to the white haired boy.

"Jack," I mumbled as I sat down on the desk chair.

"What?"

"What were you doing in that part of town yesterday?" I looked up at him as he sat beside me.

"I was walking home," Jack started. "And I saw you walking ahead of me. I thought that was weird since you have your own car. When you turned the wrong way, I knew something was wrong, so I followed you. I lost you in one of the alleys, but then I heard you scream so I went running." Jack stopped there. We both knew what happened after that.

We sat in at least five minutes of awkward silence.

"Jack?"

He made a sound.

"I hardly know anything about you, you know. Do you mind if I ask?" He shook his head. "Um… Where was your home before you came here?"

Jack smiled, "Corona." I smiled; I've always wanted to go there.

"What's your favorite band or singer?"

"I don't have favorites, they're all my favorites." He looked at me. "How about I ask you questions?" My hair slid into my face as I nodded.

We asked questions for hours. I learned that he likes the 90's to now music. He loves the wintertime, his favorite color is blue, he likes hockey, and he can sing.

He learned about primarily the same things. After twenty questions were up, I turned on my radio and I sand to whatever came on. Jack was thumbing through my third grade yearbook.

Jack laughed in the middle of a Katy Perry song and showed me a picture of Kelsey Reeves with her face peppered with green slime and her hair a rat's nest.

"Oh yeah!" I laughed. "That was the day that Astrid Hofferson pushed Kelsey's face into her salad. Astrid got ten days of cleaning the gum off the desks. But she said it was worth it." I laughed at the memory.

"Now I'm floating like a butterfly…" I resume the song. Jack sifts through the other yearbooks. I looked over at a picture of me, Mavis Dracula, Toothiana or Thia as we called her, and Merida Dunbroach all linked together by the arms at field day. I smile so happily at this one. It has been forever since I have talked to Mavis and Thia, and every now and then, Merida and I hang out. They all lived on this street at one time or another. Mavis left because her dad had the idea of owning a hotel, Thia's dad couldn't fix the plumbing, and Merida's mom thought the neighborhood was "too rowdy". The song ended and Taylor Swift's voice twirled out with me following.

"...And all I seen is eighteen hours ago, green eyes and freckles and you're smile. In the back of my mind making me feel right," I pushed on Jack as I sang the next verse. "I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now." He laughed and joined in, warbling his voice on purpose. He sang on with Ed Sheeran.

"And all my walls, tall and painted blue, And I'll take then down and open up the door for you." He was pretty good, his deep voice gentle and warm. He closed his eyes and I joined with him, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.

"And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies. The beautiful kind, making up for lost time, taking flight and making me feel right," I cut off in the chorus when I heard and engine stutter it's way into the garage.

"Crap," I said. Jack opened his eyes and frowned.

"What?"

I turned around panicking, "My mom's home and when she sees you leaving, she'll assume the worst!"

Jack placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'll just climb down the vines."

"She'll see you!" I screeched.

"Rapunzel!" A muffled voice called. "I'm home!"

"Alright!" I called down. I whispered to Jack. "Quick get in my closet."

I pushed him in and closed the doors just as Mother opened the bedroom door.

"Hello dear," She said, pulling me into an embrace.

"Hello Mother," I glanced back at the closet.

Her black hair shined as she sat on the bed, "I got an email from the school today."

"Oh?"

"It was a reminder about the Winter's Eve Gala. All girls need dresses to come, you know," I nodded. Problem was I didn't have a dress. "And dear we need to go shopping for one."

I nodded again, "Also, I need to ask, do you have a date?"

"No, no one has asked me yet," I said. "I'll go with someone if I like them somewhat."

Mother stood and raised her arms in a bravado, "Well, you don't need to wait; I already have a possible blind date for you. I was talking to a coworker and found out that his son doesn't have a date yet, so we set up a blind date for you two."

I sat up, "Who is it?"

Mother laughed, "Oh honey, that's the purpose of a blind date isn't it? To keep the person guessing?"

I bite my lip and glance back at the closet, "Well, you see, there's a person that I'm hoping will ask me and I want to make sure if it's worth it." It is partly a lie, I do want Jack to ask me, but I also don't want to go with someone who will make me embarrassed.

Mother sighs and hesitates. I bite my lip. She sighs again and mumbles, "Fine I'll tell you. It's –" Mother's phone buzzes and she whips it out and checks it.

"Oh no!" She cried. "I forgot my laptop. I'll be back in half an hour." Mother dashes out of my room and into her car and careens down the street comically.

"Okay Jack," I call. "You can come out now." He opens the door and steps out, his hair a mess, but it looks cute that way. _Crap Rapunzel! Stop this nonsense, he obviously does not like you back like that,_ I thought.

Jack doesn't leave right away, he hangs around for ten more minutes talking and asking me questions . After that he slides his foot out the window and clumsily pulls the rest out.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" He asks me.

"You can count on it," I say slowly. His face hangs there smirking and I laugh. I push his face down and he starts climbing down. When he reaches his door, He holds up his hand to wave, and I wave back. In the gathering twilight, he bounds into his house with me still watching. His hair dyed pink from the light and his shadow long.

Our song by Taylor and Ed comes on and I sing it with them only I tweak it a bit, "…And all I see is eighteen hours ago, is blue, freckles, and your smile. In the back of my mind making me feel right."

I smile at the ceiling, still feeling his arms wrapped around me. My brain shuts me down quick, though my heart is still aching for their warmth.

I hear a car clatter onto the driveway and I stop smiling. I sigh as I stand up. It's time to get my answer.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Rapunzel_

I tip toe down the stairs, careful not to annoy Mother, since she is on the phone. I'm not really paying much attention to what she's saying. Then I hear the words "Blind date". I stop in my tracks and hide behind a wall.

Mother's voice drones in from the other room, "...sure he'll be perfect for Rapunzel. From what I hear from the teachers is that he is very studious and smart and very athletic." Mother paused. "Well I don't think that matters. Rapunzel doesn't judge people by looks or their history." A long pause. "She wants me to tell her who he is because someone else might ask her. Should I?" I could hear the person's voice on the other end and Mother pulled the phone away from her ear. "Okay! Okay, I won't, okay?"

She clicked the off angrily. Well that went nowhere for me. I was back to square one. I sit down onto a stool by the counter. Will she tell me now? I asked myself. It does not seem like it. Not the way she shouted at him or her. I sighed and rested my head on my hands, well now it looks I now have a date to the dance, no matter what I say.

Mother waltzes into the kitchen, "Hey Rapunzel, I just got off the phone with your date's mother." I nodded.

"So..." I started. "Can you tell me, maybe?"

Mother chuckled, "Of course not dear. That would ruin the surprise." She laughed. "Also I already picked up a dress that I feel will be perfect for you."

My body tenses, "Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" I hold up a hand. "You got me a dress that I had no choice of!" I nearly screamed.

"Your date's mom gave it to me," Mother said calmly. She turned to the stove. "It's very beautiful, actually, perfect for your age."

I held my face in shock, "Can I see it then?" Mother nodded.

"It's right on the bed." I dashed off, faster than ever. I stopped at Mother's doorway. The white door loomed in front of me and with a shaking hand, I opened it. On the queen size bed there was a garment bag. It was zipped up half way, so I pushed the rest down and closed my eyes as I pulled out the mysterious dress. The fabric was smooth and silky but not silk. I opened one eye then gasped at what I saw.

_Jack_

It's been about three days since I climbed through Rapunzels window and found out about her blind date. All week I have tried to figure out who it is. Not because I'm being a stalker, it's because some of these guys are man-whores at times. Not all of them though.

Half of the guy population at Burgess has been trying to ask out Kelsey, but she has her sights set on me. Same as half the girl population. All week I have been getting these stupid invites in the mail. On Wednesday there were so many that I had to pull them out in clumps from the mailbox in order to throw them away. Kelsey is going through great lengths to try and get me as a date. Bribery is her strength apparently.

"Earth to Jack," Hiccup waves his hand in front of my face. "Are you alive?"

"Of course, can't get rid if me that easy," I smirked half-heartedly.

Hiccup seemed to notice this and leaned back in his chair, I stared blankly at the board and the droning teacher. Rapunzel was in a different spot now and Hiccup had replaced her. Rapunzel was jotting down notes, brow furrowed. I felt the need to laugh at her concentrated face.

It was odd to suddenly hear the quiet room. I looked up sheepishly.

"Well Jack?" Mr. Burke asked.

Hiccup whispered, "Bees fertilize the angiosperms in this time year."

I opened my mouth, but Mr. Burke spoke first, "Thank you Hiccup for helping Jack here, but next time let Jack answer." I glanced to the corner to see Rapunzel staring out the window frowning.

"Jack!" I heard Mr. Burke say. I glanced back at him. He sighed. "I know that it's almost the day of the dance and you're all dreaming about how it will go, but you have to get back to reality. Now Jack, how do you..."

Class went on with me trying to keep up, but always getting distracted. When the bell rang, everybody let out a sigh of relief. I rushed out of the classroom after Rapunzel and chased after her all the way to the commons.

"Rapunzel!"I called. She turned her smile dazzling.

She walked back to me, "Hey Jack I haven't seen you since Tuesday. It's been a long two days huh?" I smiled and nodded.

"Are you still going to the dance?" She asked.

"Yeah but I don't have a-" Arms circled me from behind and crushed me as I was about to speak.

"Jack!" An annoying voice screeched in my ear. Kelsey.

I shouldered her off, "Can't you look past your perfect self and see that I was talking to someone!"

She gaped at me, her brown hair shining, "You think I'm perfect!" She squealed. Rapunzel rolled her eyes and walked away. I tried to follow suit only pink claws were digging into my arm. "Wait! We need to color coordinate for the Gala tomorrow!" I stopped.

"But we aren't going with each other!" I shouted.

Kelsey huffed, "Well of course we are. I told the whole school. You know I'm thinking black, because it's so sexy and can be accented by any color..." I left then after Rapunzel, though she had disappeared. I stepped into the wintery world and spotted her opening her truck door.

"Hey! Rapunzel!" She started the old truck up and drove away from her parking spot. I ran to where she was driving and, without thinking, stopped in front of her. The tires squealed as they bit into the icy ground.

"What are you doing?" She yelled from the window.

My brain scrambled for a reason, "I... I need a ride."

She sighed and rolled her eyes but motioned for me to come. I smiled and tossed my bag into the truck and sat in the front seat.

She kept the music low but hummed to it. The windows were down, allowing her braided hair to flutter in the wind. I smiled as we drove along, this almost seemed magical. The soft glowing of the sun made her hair shine like a halo. She stopped her rusty truck on the curb, but made no move to get out.

"I need to study tonight," she sighed.

"In what class?" I asked

She gave me a dubious look, "Biology of course."

My eyes widened, "Crap."

Rapunzel laughs and tosses me a book, "We could study... together... you know." She tugs on her braid. I smile. That little movement made her look so much more... angelic. I guess.

"Sure."

We walk into the house and crack open those books. By the time we get to chapter 2, twenty pages from the first page, Rapunzel is asleep. I did not even notice until I heard a small snore. I chuckled at her position. One leg on the top of the couch, one leg on the arm, head upside down, and her arms all over the place.

I carefully wrap my arms around her waist so I can move her to a better position. When she looked comfortable enough, I finally moved away, allowing her to sleep. I moved onto a chair and study some more, quietly though. Yet it does not matter, because not ten minutes later did my phone ring, loudly. It shocked Rapunzel so much that she sat up, lost her balance, and fell off the bed.

"Ow!" She mumbled. I reached down and pulled her up.

"You okay?" I ask.

She rubbed her hand across her temple, "I'm fine, I just hit my head a little bit." I picked up my phone and checked the caller id. It was an unknown number. I sighed, "I better take this."

"You go on ahead," she says with a smile.

I walk out into the hall and press the talk button. The one person that I did not want to talk to, spoke up.

"Hey, Jack!" Kelsey. How'd she get my number?

"Um... hello?"

"I was just calling to see what you're doing. I get curious like that..." her voice kept droning on, boring to every end of my nerves. "So then I was walking through the tie section and everybody..." Does she ever get over herself?

Rapunzel must have decided to save me, "Hey, Jack! Where is the other science book?"

"Who is that?" Kelsey's voice dripped with suspicion.

I smirked and called over to Rapunzel, "I got it right here." To Kelsey, I said, "Somebody who needs me right now." I turned off the phone, interrupting Kelsey screaming, "What!"

I walked into the other room to see Rapunzel reading out of a textbook. I silently sigh at her. She just looks so perfect. I shake my head to clear it. Too bad, she doesn't feel the same about you.

Rapunzel

I wake up early to the buzz of my alarm. My head flings off the pillow. It's Friday, the day of the Gala. The juniors and seniors have only half a day to get ready for the overly swanky dance.

I groan, it's also the day of the unit test in biology. I fall back onto my bed. Everything that I read last night has flown out of my head.

One roll off the bed and I am getting ready for school. I get dressed into a white shirt, blue speckled skirt, and a gray beanie. I rush downstairs to grab a pop tart and my bags before racing to my truck. I thank the heavens when it starts.

"Rapunzel!" I hear a familiar voice. The white haired boy trots up, snow crunching. "School's out for a few hours, there was a power failure."

I look into those deep blue eyes, "But by the time school starts, we'll have to leave to get ready."

"Exactly," he smirks. He moves away as I repark my truck on the curb. "So what now?" I stretch my arms.

Jack sighs and ruffles his hair, "I have no clue."

"I haven't been to your house in a while."

Jack motions for me to come and we step into the house.

I have only been in a few times and it remains unchanged. Still untarnished and neat. No dirty dishes or stains anywhere. The room is a few degrees lower than regular room temperature. He leads me upstairs to his room, where, like the house, is spotless. His bed sheets were a light blue and the wood floors were bare. His desk had a computer and a few books and some photos. My eyes scanned the shelves where I saw dozens of trophies. I looked closer and saw a hokey stick and a puck with his name engraved on a plaque. I smiled at a picture of Jack with Manny on the ice in a hockey rink. I look at the walls and see bookshelves and a few hockey flags.

I giggle to see Jack leaning against the wall with a goofy smile on his face. He snaps out of it. My skirt ruffles as I sit in the desk chair.

After ten minutes of looking at his trophies, Jack leads me outside where he shows me his winter skills.

"Snowman contest... go!" I scramble to get snow and start rolling it. Before long, I have a five-foot tall snowman, though Jack's is better. His has a full face, arms, even legs! I have to say he won.

After that, we started a snowball fight. My screams and Jack's laughter brought all the neighborhood kids out and they started playing too. One kid, Jamie, I think, used his bobsled to shield himself from the snowballs. I laughed as I slipped and fell on my butt. The jeans that I had quickly changed into were wet and heavy and my beanie had fallen over my eyes.

When I pulled it up, I noticed everyone chasing after Jamie, who was on his bobsled and careening down the hill. Well, everyone except for Jack. We watched Jamie speed out of sight and all the other kids screaming and yelling behind him. I laughed and tried to get up, but ice is a slippery thing. I was able to get up into standing position (Finally) and Jack came closer. I also stepped forward, but my good friend, Ice, made me slip forward and fall into Jack's arms.

Unfortunately, he fell back too and we hit the earth, one on top of the other. He winces and I turn a bright red, I scramble away from him as fast as possible sit a few feet away from each other, snow cold and pricking at my skin.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. The text was from Merida, _Got a date, some wimp who isn't that bad. I'll be over in five_.

I stood up, "I have to go." Jack nodded staring at the ground. "I'll um... I'll see you tonight, right?"

He nodded again and I left, shivering in my wet clothes. When I got back to the house, Merida was already there.

"Where ya been?" She put a hand on her hip. "It's kind of the middle of winter." Merida's accent was thick today; she must've hung around with her parents.

"Sorry," I put my key in the lock. "I was with some kids." Merida follows me into the house, her red hair swishing. "We were having snowball fights then one of the kids slid onto his sled and went down a hill."

"It doesn't explain why ya're all wet," Merida says.

"I kind of slipped and fell, luckily Jack caught me," I smile. "But then we fell."

Merida quirks a brow, "Jack? Who's Jack?" Oh no.

"Uhh... nobody," I shuffle my feet.

Merida has an evil look in her eyes, "Ooh, Punzie, has her first crush! Ah can't believe et!" I groan.

I stare daggers at the red head, "He's not my first crush! Remember Flynn?"

"Oh yeah, tha' guy tha' you met a' th' club who was drunk and high?" Merida smirked. "Ah remember tha' he had broken up wi' his girlfriend and he was wi' you to make her mad."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Can we just start getting ready?"

She nodded and ran out the door to grab her dress. I went and got mine, still tucked in the garment bag to keep it safe.

"Close yeh're eyes," I obeyed. I hear the garment bag come off and hit the floor, and then I hear, "Open!" I open my eyes to see a beautiful dress in Merida's arms.

Her dress was probably knee length, with tattered edges, a gold color, and blue accenting. There was a pattern of a dragon. Her shoes were silver.

"Oh my God! It's beautiful!" I squealed in delight. "Okay close your eyes."

I stepped over to my garment bag. With a flourish, I unzipped the bag and out came my dress. Merida's eyes popped open and she looked at my dress.

I held it up higher and said, "I hope my blind date likes it."

**Hey guys, I have been working on this all week so I feel really tired. I think I am going to go sleep. In addition, I kept the dress a secret so you can be left in suspense (In case that wasn't clear). Bye! Type to yah later!**


	5. Chapter 5

Hey Guyzzles. Yeah I made up my own word. So my E-mail has been messed up since I hooked it up to my Nook. Sadly, I cannot see all the comments unless I actually go online and crap. So rawr.

**FloralrmaTylee- You got your wish in the fourth paragraph, second sentence on. **

**Anelya-Thank You! I love reading you people's reviews.**

Chapter 5

_**Jack**_

It was probably around six o'clock when I began to put on my (shudder) tuxedo. I had decided nothing too fancy, just a normal black tuxedo, no tie, black pants, and white collared shirt. Manny handed me the keys and ushered me outside.

"You have a nice time son!" Manny called. "No drinking!" Well that's being a father for yah. He slammed the door shut and immediately turned on a game.

I chuckled, _that is Manny._ I looked down at the set of keys Manny handed me. The Lexus. Nice. I unlocked the door and I was about to sit down when a door shutting distracted me.

Over at Rapunzel's house was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her golden hair was in a braided bun on top of her head and her makeup was soft and natural. Her dress was green and floated from the knees to the ankles. Its layers on the skirt were blowy and ghostlike; the sleeves were loose and hung on her triceps. They glittered gold over the green. The top was bedazzled with topaz colored rhinestones.

My mind reeled as I realized that this was Rapunzel. A car drove up beside her and she bent down to talk into the window. As she stood, her eyes met mine and her mouth opened in a slight gape. Her green eyes were endless and the color of an endless meadow.

The person in the car said something and she spoke back. She held up her hand in a wave and so did I. A second later, Rapunzel was speeding away in a garnet ford.

_**Rapunzel**_

Merida left after her makeup was finished. She had decided to do her hair on her own. When I saw a car slow outside my house, I walked out to meet them. My dress was soft and silky, the glitter did not come off like a cheap dress, and the green heels were comfortable. When I saw the person in the garnet ford, I nearly walked away.

His name was Snotlout. He's one of the football man-whores. His cocky demeanor seemed to attract girls for some reason and he made out with at least two a day. He turns his attitude around as soon as he sees a teacher of some sort. No wonder Mother thought he was perfect for me, all his teachers think he is an angel.

"Hey babe, it seems that you're my date tonight," He leans back and has a creepy survey of my breasts.

I roll my eyes, "Yeah one of twenty," I mumble. He licks his lips still looking at my chest. "Hey," I point a hand at my face. "Eyes up here." He is oblivious to anything. I roll my eyes and look away but my eyes catch a certain Albino's. He looks breathtaking, though he had not done anything special to his features. His suit looked like the regular black tuxedo. He is staring at me too. Not my chest, _me_. My mouth falls open.

"Hey babe, can we go now?" Snotlout snaps me out of it.

I look back dazed, "Uh, yeah, sure." I open up the door and step in and Snotlout drives on. In the rearview mirror, I see a car pull out behind us some ways. I smile to myself. _Jack_. I can feel him staring at my head.

When we get to the High School parking lot, Snotlout gets out and immediately walks over to his friends. I am left in the car. _What a gentleman. He leaves his date in a car and does not open up the door,_ I shake my head and step out. It is chilly this evening and I wrap my forest green shawl around my shoulders. His friends laugh loudly and punch Snotlout in the shoulder. The blonde surfer looking dude is Ruffnut and Tuffnut. I notice Merida walking in with a dorky looking blonde kid. Noting that Snotlout was still immersed in his conversation, I raced after Merida.

"Hey Mer!" I call. She turns and waves and I catch up to them. We walk into the darkly lit school and walk to the commons . In the corridor, there are blue and white balloons, snowflakes, and cardboard icicles hanging form the ceiling. I reach for a drinking cup and the punch ladle.

"Ah would nae take any of tha' vile stuff," Merida whispers.

I look at her dubiously, lifting the cup to my mouth, "Why?"

Merida smirks at my cup, "It's spiked."

My eyes widen and I spit out my mouthful, "With what?"

"Vodka. Senior Prank. E'en though it's kinda early," Merida nudges me with her elbow. "Yah gotta say it_ is _hilarious."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah hilarious."

There is a disturbance in the small crowd and it parts like the red sea. Standing before me is not the Promised Land, its Jack. Beside him is Hiccup but I could hardly care now.

His eyes meet mine but are whisked away when Snotlout comes up beside me and pulls me close, "Hey you disappeared while I was talking."

I nod and search for an escape. Merida is off to the side with an annoyed look on her face. Ruffnut is trying to talk to her AGAIN.

Snotlout pulls me to the dance floor where a fast song is playing. I lose him in the crowd and I make my way back to the side of the commons. Merida storms up, her face in a raging mess.

"Ah told Dingwall that I would onl' escort him to and from the dance," She plops down next to me. "He never told me that Ah had to dance wit' him." I let her vent for a couple more minutes before I start to vent.

"Snotlout is at the moment eating a girl's face off, most likely," I say bitterly. Speaking of the devil, Snotlout comes stumbling out of the dancing mass, drunk off his ass. He makes his way over to me before he pulls me up into a hug.

"Hey there yah gouys. You look ssssoooo hot!" He slurs. "Tha' punch is ssssooo hard." Merida stands up and steadies Snotlout with me. He reaches down his hand and Merida yelps and jumps.

She slaps him, "Ya bas. Ah will rammy yah're ass. Yah'll have a blether with Jesus if yah ever do tha' again. Yah'll be deid you bam!" I drag way from where the drunken Snotlout lays. Her Scottish slang is coming out strong now.

"Merida! Mer!" I shout. She quiets down. "He's unconscious, you can stop."

She mutters, "What a bas."

"Dick," I mutter.

"Ah cannae believe that yah own mum let yah out wit' tha' boy," Merida whispers. "He's such a bam that Ah'm surprised yah're Mum dedn't know."

I look at Merida, she is still livid, "Well you have to remember, around teachers, he's an 'angel'. Around ladies he goes wild."

Snotlout, from where I can see, somehow gets to a standing position and staggers out of the dance. He has his car keys in his hands and my stomach drops.

"Great," I mutter. "Now he's going to drive." I say a quick bye to Merida and walk out of the dance.

_**Jack**_

I hang out behind the school next to a bush. Kelsey has been hounding me since I got here. Trying to dance with me, trying to sit next to me, and trying to make out with me. What a night. Nevertheless, when I hear a door shut beside me, I try to bury myself in the leaves.

"Snotlout!" A voice calls out. "You can't drive like that. Let me drive you home." I part the leaves and see Rapunzel making her way to the parking lot where Snotlout is staggering to his car.

"Don' worry 'bout it, Baby," He slurs. "I gots it. I'll drive."

Rapunzel sighs, "Snotlout, driving like that is illegal. You could be arrested. Or killed!"

Snotlout frowns, "Well yeh're no fun an' way." Probably with the fastest speed a drunken person could ever contain, Snotlout opens the truck door, turns on the car, and drives off with Rapunzel running behind.

"No Snotlout! Wait!" She cries. Even though she's a hundred yards away, I can still hear her say, "Damn it." I step out behind the tree and walk over to where she stopped in the parking lot.

"Are you okay, Rapunzel?" I ask. She nods numbly. I hate to see her like this. She always cares for others so much, even when they've been a total jerk to her. I lead her back into the dance. We walk over to the side of the commons. Inside there are lights flashing and loud music. We sit off to the side and Rapunzel stares into the crowd, lost in her worried state.

"Hey, do you want something to drink or eat?" I ask her.

She nods and says, "Water." I begin to walk to the punch table when she adds, "I wouldn't get a punch if I were you."

"Why?"

Rapunzel smiles knowingly, "It's spiked with Vodka." I stare. Slowly a laughter bubble makes its way out of my mouth and we both begin to laugh. I smile at her and make my way to the punch table. I grab two waters and go back to where Rapunzel is sitting.

Nevertheless, suddenly I am pulled out of the commons by an unknown hand, "What the hell!" We do not stop until we're outside. The culprit pulls off a hooded jacket and surprise, surprise, it is Kelsey.

"Hey Jack," She purrs. I look down and her dress is on the borderline of her ass and her thigh. It's latex-y black with some designs at the chest and the neckline goes LOW. Like Grand Canyon low.

"Oh no," I pinch my nose bridge. "Kelsey, you can't just pull me away from what I'm doing. Last I checked you're not the Queen of England."

She laughs, "Of course not. But then again, the Virgin Queen _was_ one of my past lives."

I sigh and look up, "I can't believe this bull shit." I move to walk away but Kelsey's grip of steel is pulling on me.

"Where are you going," She growls. "This will only take a minute." She pushes me up against the wall and brings her lips close to mine. _Not this again,_ I think to myself. With a bed of the knees, I'm free of Kelsey and because I'm not there to anchor her, she falls to the ground and kisses the dirt. She stumbles to her feet and I realized that she has had one too many punches.

She looks down and shrieks at the state of her dress. Dirt has become stuck to the latex texture and I could see some insects crawling along the designs. The dress did not fare from the fall. It is torn from her thigh to her hip, luckily on the side.

She screams at me, drunkenly, while she tries to hold the rip to her skin, "I can't believe how you pushed me to the ground, you bastard! Ugh, my beautiful, sexy dress!" She stamps her foot and squeals.

I sigh and walk away, water bottles still gripped in my hands. I find Rapunzel off to the side of the commons, her hair beginning to unravel from the braided bun. I hand one of the water bottles and we listen to the music. Avril Lavigne comes on and everybody leaves the dance floor.

"Well that's not nice to Avril," Rapunzel says. I notice a couple dancing together. Jonathan and Mavis. The hold each other and just move in a circle. I blush and look away. _Does Rapunzel want to dance? Damn if she does, what will I say?_ I feel a hand slide into mine and I look to see Rapunzel smile at me. Her eyes are bright and happy and I smile back at her. I can feel butterflies but I try to squash them. I do not know why I do; I guess I just never liked the feeling.

_**Rapunzel**_

Jack's hand is still in mine and I nearly let out a nervous giggle. _I am holding Jack's hand!_ His smile made my stomach flip and it was still flipping now. What he does not know is that I saw him with her. I saw how she lunged forward to his face. The way he just stood there. Nevertheless, I left before I saw the rest. Only, everything changed when I heard her screaming at him for pushing her.

I notice Johnny and Mavis out there still dancing with each other. I notice M. K. and Nod coming out to join them. A few others too. I wish Jack would ask, but then again I do not._ What would I say?_ I take a sip of water with my free hand. They have moved on to an artist that I cannot identify. It has a slow sway to it though. The second time around I got the lyrics.

"Oh, I've loved you from the start. In every single way and more each passing day," I sing. "You are brighter tha-an the stars. Believe me when I say, it's not about your scars… it's all about your heart." Before I know what is happening, Jack pulls on my arm and I'm whisked up with him. I look up to him face for an explanation.

He whispers, "You want to dance?" The butterflies are exploding with nervous energy and my face has a bright red blush to it. I still have enough control to smile and nod.

Luckily, Jack is holding me up or I would have fainted into a puddle of happiness and fear. When we get on the floor, I wrap my arms around his neck and I lean my head against his right shoulder. His arms place themselves around my lower back. We sway to the slow song.

I am still smiling with happiness, so hard it hurts, when the doors bang open and I hear a slurred voice yell, "That's my date!"

**Ooh cliffhanger. HAHA evil. Well thank you for your reviews and your follows. Because my Email is messed up, I cannot see who is following. Grr. Well I will have the chapter up by next Wednesday-ish. Bye!**


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys. I feel like this one is not so good but maybe it is. Idk I am just so tired of standardized tests that it is not funny.

**FloraIrmaTylee: Torturing is like a sport for me ;p Jk. Moreover, yes I always thought that too about Snotlout, like I watched the movie and I was like, 'He's such a pervert.'**

**MsFourEyes: When I got your first review, I was like 'Okay…' However, when you sent the other one, I started laughing so hard that I could not breathe.**

**DoublePaws: Thanks! I wish you could tell my teacher that. She thinks I suck at writing :(**

**WolfieRed23: I didn't know what you were talking about at first but then I was like Oh. I have many of those moments.**

**SE-Junkie: It sucks doesn't it?**

**XXWatergirlXx: You just made my day! High five! *Holds up hand for High fives* **

**Okay now that I am done answering comments, let us go to Le Chapter!**

Chapter 6

_**Jack**_

The front doors burst open allowing in the cold breeze and a voice screaming, "That's my date!" I snapped out of the fantasy of Rapunzel in my arms and we jump away from each other.

"S-sorry," Rapunzel mumbles and she scurries to the door. The anger on her face is easier to read than a children's book. She walked up to the door and began to speak to the person there. _Great now she is scared or creeped out at me,_ I think.

"Snotlout listen!" I hear her say to Snotlout, I stand up and go to the door ready to defend anything she has to say. I look in time to see the pervert pull her to the door.

He slurs, "You was th' one whooooo, who d-danced wit' tha'… idiot." Rapunzel makes a face and smacks him as hard as possible. He garbs her full on and I step in.

"Stop it you pervert!" Snotlout pushes her away, Rapunzel seethes and the drunk staggers to where I stand.

"Yah wan' tah do dis Frosty?" He smirks and breaths alcohol tainted air to me.

I smirk and roll up a sleeve, "Bring it." Before I can even get the words out of my mouth, a fist flies to me and I duck to avoid a hit. When I stand up, another punch flies my way and another. I'm preoccupied with a left hand when the right hits me in the jaw. My teeth clap together and I taste irony blood.

While Snotlout laughs at my slowly growing bruise, I hit him in the stomach and the cheek. Too drunk off his ass to stay balanced, he crashes to the floor and Rapunzel gasps.

"You little bastard," Snotlout climbs to his feet, but before he can swing another arm, I feel a humongous hand on my shoulder, pushing me away from Snotlout.

A deep voice echoes through the hall, "Okay guys you've hit each other a few times already. I think it is time to stop." I look up and see Ralph, a football player that I rather know. His normal overalls and plaid shirt have been swapped with a gray tuxedo. Rapunzel is staring shocked in the corner of the hall, her dress ripped in the back from her confrontation with Snotlout.

"You okay, Rapunzel?" Ralph asks. She shakes her head and smiles at Ralph.

She nods, "Yeah I'm fine." Snotlout glares at the three of us and walks unsteadily out the door, Rapunzel watches worriedly. "I should really drive him home."

I sigh but nod, "I'll… uh… see you tomorrow… right?" She nods and races out the door after Snotlout, again for the second time tonight. Ralph pulls his hand off my shoulder and walks away.

I hear a Scottish voice behind me, "Where did tha' lass go to?" I turn and see Merida Dunbroach behind me, her brilliant red hair tamed somewhat.

"She just left," I say.

The redhead nods, "Ah knew she would do tha', she always disappears 'afore I can talk to 'er." She huffs and struts back to the dance where guys swarm on her immediately.

I make my way outside and sit on a bench right in front of the parking lot. Why did Rapunzel jerk away like that? Why did _I _jerk away like that? With all these thoughts running through my brain, I barely heard Kelsey speaking to herself. When I did, I ran to the Lexus and climbed in, hoping that she did not go into crazy teenager in love zombie mode and try to suck my brain out by kissing me.

I decided then that since this dance was pretty much done for me that I may as well go home. Turning on my car, I began the longest ride home ever.

_**Rapunzel**_

With Snotlout giving directions, I maneuvered his red truck to his house. Each time he tried to touch me, I would pull over and smack him.

"Now turn l-left her' and the fifth trailer down is mmmine," I tried hard to understand his slurs but I got him to the fifth mobile home and parked his truck. When I got out, he got close, too close. His alcohol breath spiked my fear.

"What are you-" I started. Snotlout leaned in close and I realized a second too late what he was doing. His mouth on mine, I insanely tried to keep my food down. He pulled his mouth off and I rubbed at my face, trying to get the spit off. My stomach was still turning from that disgusting kiss.

"Isn' tha' wha' you wanted? A g-good nigh' kisses," He slurred. I shook my head and I turned away. He staggered up the steps and into the trailer, shouting, "Honey, I'm ho-ome!"

I walked to the road and called a cab, more than ready to go home and sleep. Thankfully, a cab came quick and I got home in less than fifteen minutes. In the cab ride, my braided up do came down and I just let it hang down my back and my knees.

When I got inside, Mother was waiting for me, "Why did I just get a call from Mrs. Jorgenson? She said that you stood by while Snotlout got punched in the face and stomach by Jack Frost!" She yelled. I roll my eyes and set my purse on the counter.

"Did she tell you that Snotlout was drunk?" I counter. "Or that he left me in the street." I glare at Mother.

Mother seethes, "That's not the point!"

My cheeks redden and I yell, "It is. He was drunk and DUI. It's no wonder that he didn't start a fight sooner." Mother glares and then grabs her purse and walks to the door.

"When I get home, you are in for the punishment of the century," She slams the door, leaving me home alone. A picture from the movie Home Alone enters my brain of the kid with his hands on his cheeks and mouth an "o". I want to laugh, but I cannot I'm too irritated.

When I reach the kitchen, I see an empty wine bottle. _So that's why, _I think. Without my allowance, an image from Jack and I's conversation a few days ago hits me. Why _is _it that I look nothing like my mother? I think of her appearance and mine, we both do not look anything alike. I walk to our old dell computer and turn it on. Time for some research.

_**Jack**_

After I left the dance, I went straight home, hoping that Kelsey was too drunk to notice my insane, two wheel, Fast and Furious driving. By the time I had gotten home, I noticed Rapunzel's mother getting into a car and driving off. When I waved to her, because she did see me, she just pursed her lips and drove off.

Looking through Rapunzel's front window, I noticed her on the computer. Her eyebrows were furrowed together cutely. I smiled at her but then turned to the house. All the lights were off and no sound of a game echoed through the windows. Normally Manny stays up to at least midnight and I right beside him. I check my phone; it's only 9:34.

I check my pockets for keys. After some rummaging, I only come up with the car keys. I pull on the door to find it locked and I ring the doorbell. I sit on the bench outside and wait for Manny to come open the door but after ten minutes, I realize that he's not home. _Figures,_ I think to myself. Where can I stay until Manny gets back from wherever he is? I look over at Rapunzel's house. Still I do not want to inconvenience her. I step into the Lexus and I drive out to Misery Meridian road. I stop in front of the beaten down mailbox that says "Haddock". I step out of the car, hoping that Hiccup is home already.

When I knock on the door, I half expect his burly Greenlandic father come out but instead Hiccup answers the door.

"Oh," Hiccup says. "Jack, what's up?" He leans against the doorframe. "My dad's not home, he went to drink with some buddies."

I sigh, "My dad disappeared for the night and I don't have a house key. Can I stay here?"

"Sure," Hiccup moves out of the doorway and into the dark house. I leave my sports jacket on a coat hanger and follow Hiccup upstairs to his bedroom.

He sits on the bed and I sit on the desk chair, "So how was the dance?" Hiccup asks.

I huff, "You were there, and I think you know." I turn to the desk wall where tons of crudely drawn pictures are, a dragon, a hummingbird, a puppy. Despite the rushed lines, he is good. I am too preoccupied to hear Hiccup's answer.

"What?" I ask.

Hiccup sighs, "My dad called me and told me that I had to come home. When I got home he got mad at me and started yelling about how I should set my sight on," Hiccup changes his accent to more Greenlandic, "'A better life thahn thes. I dropped oiut of collehege too earleh. Ah don' wan' tah' ter happen to you.'"

I nod, "Harsh."

"Also, he thinks I'm a failure," He changes his accent again with a cough. "'Excuuse meh, bar maid, Ah'm afrehd you brought meh th' wrong offspring. I ordered ehn extra large boy with beefy arms," He grips his arm for dramatization, "Extra guts an' glory on th' side. Thes here, thes es a talkin' fesh bone." He grips the air then looks down in defeat.

"Hic, I'm sure your dad loves and wants you to have a good life," I say.

Hiccup just rolls his eyes, "Whatever."

I am about to say something but I hear a howl from the backyard. It draws out eerily but Hiccup seems only mildly worried about it.

"What the hell was that?" I say.

The brunette shrugs, "Just Toothless."

"Uh… who?"

Hiccup smiles excitedly and looks at me, "Come on! You've not had the chance to meet the best pet in the world!"

He runs down the stairs and I follow to the backyard.

**Hey guys! As you can obviously tell, Toothless is a dog but what breed? I have not decided between three:**

**Great Dane**

**Husky**

**Newfoundland**

**So there you go. Vote as you will and do not start fights please. I am a bit of a pacifist. So thank you all for the reviews and I'll try to minimize my comments on the reviews to five. So see you by next sundayish! **

**P.S. I know I did six reviews this time, but I felt the need :).**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, where did this chapter come form? Cuz one minute I am typing up chapter 3 the next Bam! Here is chapter seven! Now many votes came in and only one was chosen but I did quirk it up because I did not want anybody mad or sad at this. In addition, I did my best with the newspaper article.**

**xXWaterGirlXx- Oh! I did not know that! That is so cool that someone a hop skip and a boat ride away is reading this! I am worldly known! Jk!**

**CandySlice- That would be mean… to the shoes! Well not if there heels. Heels can die but cowboy boots nu huh I would rather use a ten-foot pole to slap that perv. ;)**

Chapter 7?

Yeah! Chapter 7!

_**Rapunzel**_

I woke up with a jolt, not knowing where I was. _Where is my bed? Why am I on the couch?_ Then I remembered the researching last night and everything made sense. All the websites and the frustration, then finally, the disappointment. I sigh and rake my hand across my brow. I'd checked , , and even , all of it had been a flub. Not one held my answers.

I looked at the computer, still stuck in the sleep mode. _Time to assume the worst._ I flip off the couch and jiggle the mouse to wake it up. With fluid motions, I type in the words, Stolen Newborns from Hospitals. The webpage loads and I find thousands of pages.

Since I do not have time to read all of these suggestions, I scroll down the page. One catches my eye from the Corona Pages.

**Parents Mourn the Loss of Newborn Child**

**Stolen from the Corona ER**

Angela Lee, May 07, 1996

**Exactly one week ago, parents of a stolen child are mourning. When the new baby was born, the doctor let the mother see it before taking it away and placing it into the infantry care.**

"**I remember her beautiful face," says Caroline, mother of the child. "She just had such beautiful, long, golden hair. Her eyes were deep green."**

**Gavin, father, had taken only one picture of the baby, the one to the right. Authorities say that the child was abducted around 1:06 am, the time when the officers in the building changed shifts. After the child was taken, the doctors came back to check on the infants and found the newborn missing. **

**No evidence was found but if you have any…**

My eyes rake across the article, soaking up all the facts that link together. The date, the infant's hair, the infant's eyes. In the decisive moment, I know I have to look at the picture of Caroline and the infant. I take a deep breath and beg that this is me.

Slowly, I open my eyes and gasp. In the picture there is a brown-haired woman holding a green eyed, golden-haired baby in her arms. My eyes lock on the grinning infant's. My eyes arch up to a shelf, where all of the family pictures are and I find the photographed baby's twin.

_These are my parents, my lost parents. _I sit back in the seat in shock. Did Mother steal me from the hospital? I soak in the woman's face. Her eyes are like mine, as well as her nose, her mouth, and her smile. _My mother…_

The door opened and shut with a bang! Mother waltzed in, her face a hung-over mess and her hair a rat's nest. She leans on the counter and breathes.

"M-mother?" She looked up, her eyes bloodshot.

"Well! Rapunzel, just the girl I was looking for," Mother says. She staggers over to where I stand and I grab her arms and pull her to the master bedroom. We cut across the room and she flops into the bathroom, moaning as she drags herself to the toilet.

I clasp my hands, "Do you need anything, Mother?" She moans and shakes her head. She tilts her head to the toilet bowl and I take off before I can hear her hurl.

My phone buzzes and the ID says Jack. I glance from the computer to the phone, guilt gnawing at me. I sigh and turn away from the phone. I can call him later.

_**Jack**_

As we walked out of Hiccup's room, I dropped my phone on the bed. Hiccup leads me out of the house to a small pen where a mad bout of barking filtered out. Hiccup opened the cage a crack.

"Hey Toothless," The barking stopped and Hiccup laughed. "Okay come on over Jack!" I make my way passed the rutty plants and stop by Hiccup. Inside the pen is a dog, not a cute, itty-bitty puppy, but a big ass, mother of pearl, Great Dane. He was pitch black with dark green eyes that stared intelligently at me. He flattened his ears, growling, and moved past my friend and took a defensive position.

Hiccup pulls at the leather collar, "Toothless, stop." To my amazement, that waist height Great Dane stops growling and sits. He turns his head with pricked ears at his master.

Toothless turns his head, barks at me, and holds up his paw, signifying for me to shake his paw. Tentatively, I shook it, and Toothless trots off to the door where he waits for Hiccup and I to come forward.

"So," I say quirking a brow. "When'd he come into the equation?" Hiccup shrugs off a bug on his shoulder.

"I got him at a shelter, you know down near that big hotel?" I nod and Hiccup continues. "Well I saw all these puppies, as I was driving by, and one stood out. He was all ready a year old and half-husky, half Great Dane. I took him home and he was a little bit gimpy because of an irritation in the paw. He was also born without baby teeth. He was born with adult teeth, thankfully."

"_Thankfully_?" I question.

Hiccup rolls his eyes at his quivering dog, "He wouldn't have been able to eat without adult teeth." As Hiccup opens the door, Toothless shoots in and jumps on the couch. He circles the cushions before he lies down.

Hiccup heads to the kitchen to start on a late dinner and I race upstairs to get my phone. I want to see if Rapunzel is okay after driving Snotlout home.

I dial her number and the waiting song plays…, plays…, and plays. Finally, the inbox voice pops up and I hit the end button.

I type out the words,_ Are you home? If you are not I still have the car keys._ I get no answer after a while.

After Hiccup and I have dinner, (And Toothless eats table scraps), I get into my car just to see if Manny's home yet. Surprise, he is not home. So I'll have to spend the night with Hiccup. Great.

When I wake in the morning, there is a huge black muzzle in my face.

"Aah!" I scream, Toothless jumps off and bounds away. I immediately look to my phone and see a message from Manny.

_Sorry I wasn't there, there was a call from work,_ He texts.

_It's fine. I spent the night Hic's, _I type.

I look at my messages box. None from Rapunzel. I type in her number and hit the 'call' button. Once again, I hear the music play but no voice piping, "Hello!" I drop the phone on the messy sheets and bound after Toothless to the smell of cooking food.

_Rapunzel_

I search up Michael Solar to see what he looks like and finally I find his name. His portfolio I sin his business company's paper.

I murmur to myself as I read, "Michael Solar is a…. lives with his wife Caroline Solar who lost their child by abduction. Frequently heard of man in the Corona area." His picture is of a fortyish year old man with dark hair and beard. His eyes twinkle in the smile while he is gathered around fellow employees. My heart aches to know them.

It is not long until I hear mother drag herself out of the bathroom and into the bed, moaning the whole way. I look at my phone to see two missed calls. One from Toothiana and one from Jack. I feel bad but I call Toothiana first.

"Hello?" A voice answers.

"Thia!" I say happily.

"Punzie! How are you?" Her voice is bright, fluttery, and rising to a forte.

"I'm fine." I say bluntly. "Scratch that, I'm better than fine. I'm fantastic!"

"Oh?" Toothiana's voice gets suspicious. "Is it because of a certain hot teen that you danced with at the dance?"

I gasp, "How do you know that?"

"I was there dumb-dumb," She laughs.

I tap my feet nervously, "Did it look bad?"

"Bad?" Toothiana laughs again. "You two looked so head over heels for each other." I can feel a blush creeping in. "Ooh!" She turns suspicious again. "Do you want his flower?"

"Tooth!" I exclaim. _Too odd to even count._ "Of course not! I'm not like that."

"Sure," Toothiana draws out. "Sure you are."

I rub my head, "Why did you call me?"

"Oh! Right," I can hear the little harebrain scurrying around her room. "I want you to help with a mural outside of the commons and the south hall."

I perk up, "What's the theme?"

"Performing arts, sports, academics. Really, anything school related will be sketched out and painted on that wall. The idea is that a tornado is going to be sucking it up along with the words Burgess Cougars Are Great or something like that." She stumbles over something with a squeal.

I roll my eyes, "We have to change those words." She lets out a breathless "Uh huh".

"So I'll meet you at Art Room 2 to get the supplies and start sketching," Toothiana says rushed. "Also Sandy Manner is going to help."

"Who?"

Toothiana sighs, "The mute kid that all the teachers tip toe around except for the art teacher because he's bad ass." I giggle at her seriousness in 'Bad ass'. "Mavis is helping with the background and Fishlegs for the design of the tornado and the angles on the words."

We agree on Monday at the art room 2 and I hang up. Then Jack's missed call is staring me down. I click the call and the phone rings, rings, and rings.

"Hello," Jacks voice comes on.

"Hey Jack-"

"Sorry that I can't be at the phone right now, I'll call you back as soon as possible." The beep ring out but I keep the phone to my ear. Slowly, ever so slowly, I lift the phone from my ear and hit the off button.

_What if he is mad at me because I did not pick up?_ I panic. _What if he hates me?_ I check my phone again and notice a call from late last night at 11:43. _Crap_. Now he really is mad at me. I sigh and close my eyes. The tears tug to escape but I hold them back. I'm done with crying for a while.

**Hey guys! Now listen Great Dane won but I didn't want to disappoint! Now I shall see you by Tuesday or Wednesday! Love ya'll! **


	8. Chapter 8

I'm just going to start out on Reviews of reviews first because excuse is at the bottom.

**FloraIrmaTylee: Yeah…I forget about that one :(… I guess it's because they keep missing each other when they call.**

**WolfieRed23: *Cough, Cough* it **_**was **_**NOT supposed to be that way, but it ended up without a Jackunzel moment, but you get your wish THIS time 'round.**

**And.. that's about it because there weren't that many… I hope you liked the whole Toothless thing (I forgot to ask). Well Here yah go my homies! Word to the Chapter 8!**

Chapter 8

_**Rapunzel**_

Finally, Monday rolled by and normally, I wake up groaning, dreading the day at school, but this morning I rolled out of bed and popped right up. The sketches that I had done over the weekend would that I hope will be perfect for the mural.

"Mother, I'm heading to school early," I said at breakfast, Mother mumbled something and drank her coffee. I twiddled my thumbs, hoping she would ask why. Still no response.

I feel crestfallen as she grabs her computer bag and heads out the door with a small, "Good bye," through her half-eaten bagel. Doubts begin to run through my mind. _What if she really _isn't _my mother? Maybe I am going to conclusions. _I do a mental relapse, _but how do I ask her? You cannot just say, 'Hey Mother? Are you really my mother and can you please pass the salt?' That's messed up._ I shake my head and grab my things, heading to my truck. The drive was quick and I was at school in almost record time.

I head to Art Room 2 just to be sure our supplies were there. Mr. Deane was already there, swirling paint in a pickle jar.

"Oh Mr. Deane!" I drop my sketchbook onto a shelf. "I didn't know you would already be here." Mr. Deane smiles and sets the jar of paint and the splattered brush onto a table.

He takes off his apron, "Ah! Rapunzel, my favorite student, I heard you were signed up for the mural." His gingery hair and beard sprinkled with paint splatters and tiny pieces of charcoal.

I smile at my favorite teacher, "All right here in my sketchbook, though they don't feel very good." I hand the artist my doodled on sketchbook and he flips through it eagerly.

I let him leaf through the book while I check all the paints I will need. _Purple, orange, tan, green, blue, red… where's the pink?_ I search for the color while Mr. Deane shouts with glee.

"This is the best work you've doe so far!" He exclaims. "What motivated you?" Mr. Deane always asks us this when we have a sensational piece.

I shrug, "Their just after school activity sketches." His excitement makes me think of the way a puppy looks when hearing the word 'Walk'.

The artist shakes his head and turns the sketchbook to me, causing the manifestation of a drawing I made out of whimsicalness. A picture of Jack with his eyes twinkling as he peers over my windowsill at me.

"_This _is what I'm talking about," Mr. Deane pulls the sketchpad back. His inquisitive eyes meet mine. "So what motivated you?"

I stare in shock, searching my dumbfounded brain for an answer, "I… uh…" _Think idiot_, a voice in my head roars at me.

After a minute of dumbfoundment, I am saved by the bell, literally.

"Sorry, Mr. Deane, but I have to get to first period," I pull my bag to my shoulder and I reach for the sketchbook.

Mr. Deane pulls it back, "I'll hang onto this until you come to do the mural." He quirks a brow. "I want to figure out the spirit of it."

I sigh, once you give him something, he will not give it back until later. I walk along the halls, trying to get to the 300 hall, when a hand catches my elbow and I am yanked back.

"Aah!" I scream as I fall back. I thud against a hard chest and we both fall backward. I hit the ground with a gasp and I hear a groan behind me. I stay on this mysterious person's chest a second too long in shock.

"Ooh! Punzie and mystery boy getting it on in the hallway!" I look up and there is Ruffnut above me.

Toothiana flits into my vision above me, "Oh! Rapunzel I'm so sorry!" She looks very different from what I remember. Toothiana now has hair colored yellow, green, and blue and her glasses have been replaced by contacts. She is wearing a green iridescent shirt with a hummingbird on it. "You too, new guy." I remember the person underneath me and I jerk up and away from him.

His black hair is slicked back into spikes and he has silver eyes. A black jacket hangs from is tall frame along with black combat boots, a black skull shirt and black pants. His skin is a pigment of gray and tan.

The mysterious boy holds out a hand to where I sit on the floor, "Pitch Black." I notice he wears a black leather-batting glove over his right hand.

"Rapunzel…" I am torn between saying Rapunzel Gothel and Rapunzel Solar. "…Gothel." I shake his hand and it feels cold and clammy under the glove. "S-sorry about that."

Pitch nods and rubs his slicked hair. I grip my shoulder strap and stand up. _Awkward,_ runs through my head. He stands up and begins to walk away.

I panic, _was I too mean or too weird?_

"I hope you feel welcomed at this school." I shout.

"Whatever," He shouts back and disappears into the crowd. Toothiana looks at me.

Her eyes are alarmed, "That was weird." I nod.

Tooth shrugs and begins to babble about the mural while we make our way through the crowd. The babbling girl pulls her tri-colored hair into a bun and her purple eyes seem to blink faster than the speed of light.

"While Fishlegs and I were skyping, he showed me the tornado design and it is AMAzing…" She keeps going until we get to our classes and we part ways. "Just remember," She calls after me. "1st lunch is when we meet!" I nod in return and we split up. Her to Mrs. Beverley and me to Mrs. Collins.

_**Jack**_

Before the third period bell can ring, E. Aster Bunnymund corners me in the hall. His dyed gray and black hair in a bowl cut today.

"'Ey mate!" Aster calls. "Yer gal thay, wots 'er name? Punzel?"

"Rapunzel," I inject.

He points, "Righ'. She got pulled to the ground by a new gouy."

I turn around in shock, "What?" I cry defensiveness clear in my voice. "Who is this guy and I'll deal with him."

Aster holds out a hand, "Calm down jus' a lil bi'."

I close my eyes and breath in and out, Aster keeps talking, "So she wos walking along the hall when outta nowhere, she gets pulled back and they both foll down."

I breathe hard and open my eyes, "What's this guy's name?"

"Oi Ah don' think thets a good idea," Aster backs up a bit. "But et's Pitch Black."

I dig my fingers into my palms, Rapunzel seems to be avoiding me lately because she didn't answer my text or my call and she didn't try to talk to me over the weekend. I was still mad at us missing each other but this is what's making me explode.

I turn to walk away but Aster grips my arm, "Ey man, yah shoulden't do thes. Yeh could get en serious trouble with the teachehs." I sigh and stop.

"Sorry I've just been really stressed lately," I smirk and look at Aster. "Bunny."

"Ey I told yah not teh call me tha'!" He yells. "Yah back sided ding-dong."

I smirk and walk away, "See you later bunny."

"Dingo!"

Through my next period, I work in a blur of anger. _What is that guy's problem, pulling down Rapunzel,_ I think in anger. While first lunch went I on, I has English 2 and Mrs. Warren sent me on an errand to the Workshop.

I happen to be going past the commons when I hear an array of laughter and voices.

"Hey Sandy! Can you pass me that paint?" I hear a breathless bright voice say. "Thanks!"

Then I hear Fishlegs, a blonde haired smart kid from my trigonometry class, "Hey guys? What color are tornadoes?" There is a pause. "Shut your hands Sandy, not all of us are in weather science." I turn the corner and I see Mavis Dracula, Fishlegs, Sandy Manner, Toothiana, and Rapunzel. Sandy is making sign language symbols with his hands.

He wiggles his fingers in an open hand aginst his lips then makes various fists, signs, and movements.

Mavis looks confused, "I don't know Sandy, maybe you can after school, but you could get in trouble for taking paint out of the art room." Rapunzel laughs at a joke Tooth says. Fishlegs paints along the base of and "A". I stop suddenly but Rapunzel sees me.

"Hey Jack," The blonde turns all the way so that I am able to see her white paint splattered shirt. "What are you doing down here?"

I hold up and envelope of papers, "Errand." I say simply.

Rapunzel nods, messy bun bobbing, "What do you think so far?" She waves her hand at the wall, filled with basketballs, ballet slippers, paintbrushes, instruments. Seriously anything. I smile at the wall, seeing her whimsical flare in it.

I smile warmly, "Amazing." She smiles excitedly.

I wave the envelope, "Well I better get going." I turn to leave when a small force is rammed into me. I look down and see the blonde girls head against my chest, arms circled for a hug.

"Thanks!" Rapunzel giggles. "By the way I need to talk to you after school." The blonde whispers. She moves away with a bright red face, twirling her fingers and looking at the ground.

I nod in shock and walk away. It finally hits me on the way back from the Workshop, _That girl has more guts than you do._ I wave the thought away but it sticks with me all day.

_**Rapunzel**_

When I made it to Mr. Deane's room during first lunch, Tooth and Sandy were already there. Toothiana had her tricolored hair up in a high ponytail and an old shirt. Sandy had a pair of gloves on so that he would not get any of the fast drying background color on himself. I smile and drop my bag on a table.

"Hey Rapunzel!" Tooth exclaims. Sandy motions with his hands with what I'm guessing means hello.

I pull on a white, paint splattered old paint shirt and roll up the sleeves. After that I pull my hair into a bun. Mavis makes an entrance by jumping through the window.

She lands on the table with an, "oof!"

"Mavis?" I stare incredulously at her.

She bears her canines in a smile and readjusts her black beanie over her black hair, "Sorry we got locked outside for gym and I knew that Mr. Deane _always _leaves his windows open." She pulls off her black jacket.

I smile and roll my eyes, "You could have called us."

"Oh well," Mavis shrugs. Mr. Deane races in with my patterned sketchbook in his hand.

"Morning guys," He looks at me. "Are you ready to tell me your motivation?" My cheeks turn red and I glance at everyone else. _Please not in front of them,_ I beg silently. Mr. Deane seems to understand, "Hey can you guys go out into the hall for a second?"

Everybody files out to the hall. Sandy signs to Mavis and she makes a face.

"Sorry, I don't know ASL."

Mr. Deane sits on a desk and looks intently at me, "Well?"

I breath in, "Do you want the long story or the short and sweet story?"

"The latter please."

"Well I like this guy who goes here, I'm not sure he ls me back and while I was daydreaming about him, I made that," I point to the sketchbook. "Please don't tell him though!" I exclaim. I look down at the drawing where Jacks sketched face peers at me.

"You still haven't told me your motivation," Mr. Deane looks up.

I wince, "Sorry I was stalling." I wrack my brain. "Whimsicalness…, amazing lucidness, and… maybe even…" I bit my lip. "…Love?"

Mr. Deane sighs, "Are you sure? Your really young to know about love." I look confused, realizing that I'm having this conversation with a _teacher_ when I can't even admit to my _friend_. Mr. Deane shrugs, "But what do I know?"

Mr. Deane calls everyone in and Tooth and Fishlegs come in laughing about something Sandy is signing to them.

"Whoa, Sandy, how is that even possible?" Tooth laughs harder and Sandy shrugs. We work quickly then, pulling out supplies and making our way to the commons where we sketch out our work. The words end up being "Burgess Cougars".

"You know, since there's a tornado and a cougar being sucked into it, the slogan should be 'Burgess Cougars Can Suck Wild Cats!'" Fishlegs jokes. Everybody laughs. When Jack shows up, I surprise even myself by hugging him. The I told him that I need to talk to him, which is true. I feel like only _he_ would understand my dilemma.

When Jack walks away, everybody stares at me.

"Ooh Rapunzel has a cru-ush!" Tooth holds her face.

Mavis clicks her tongue, "What a stud muffin."

Fishlegs points to where Jack disappeared, "How long has that been going on?"

Sandy signs and Tooth speaks for him, "Ooh… Girl… You… Been… Flirting."

I giggle at that and Sandy wiggles his eyebrows, making me laugh harder. We finish the mural, and I have to say, it looks great.

Mr. Deane makes an appearance and praises us on our work. Since school was pretty much over, I walked to the front door to wait for Jack. It was not long after the bell that I see him. He is carrying a binder and talking to his friend Hiccup. When his cerulean blue eyes meet mine, I nearly turn into a puddle of butterflies.

"Hey," Jack says.

"Hi" I say, "I _really_ need to talk to you."

He waves Hiccup on and looks at me, "I'll follow behind your car."

Jack follows back to my house and follows me in. I sit on the couch and he sits opposite of me. He raises an eyebrow as if saying, _So, what is this matter of importance?_

I breathe in and speak, "I searched for any indications that Mother is my mother." I close my eyes and tears threaten but I push them back. "I was stolen from the Corona Hospital."

Jack makes a noise and moves onto the same chair as me. Hesitantly, he wraps his arms and around my torso, but I let him do it.

Jack speaks into my hair, "What are their names?"

"Michael and Caroline Solar," I say silently. I lean my head onto Jack's chest and we stay in that position for a few moments, lapsed in silence. The boy that holds me is keeping something back, I can tell. The way that he seems distracted, Jack is never like that.

Jack shatters the sweet silence, "So what are you going to do? How will you confront your mother?"

I shrug and wrap my arms around Jack, my skin tingling where it meets his. We sit in silence again for a longer time. An hour? Two? There is no way to tell. However, it all gets broken apart.

"Rapunzel?" Mother calls. She spots us together on the couch and stares. Jack and I jump apart, my face red. She stares daggers at Jack. "Get. Out."

"Mother! It isn't like that!" I stand up and defend Jack while he stands beside me, unsure what to do.

"Get out of my house and stay away from my daughter!" Mother screams. She grabs a frying pan and makes a move to Jack who's still in shock.

I jump in front of him, "Stop! I asked him to-"

"Stay away! Get out!"

Mother somehow makes her way past me in my attempt to protect Jack and smacks him over the head.

"Ow!" He rubs his head and dashes around Mother and out of the house; all while being chased by Mother.

"Stay out and don't come anywhere _near_ my daughter!" She screeches at the retreating Jack. She turns and starts staring daggers at _me._ _Oh shit,_ I think as she marches to me, frying pan in hand. _Here comes the crap._

**Whoa, my hand hurts. Sorry it was late guys, I got sick on Sunday during Church and had to miss Sunday School and regular school on Monday. So I was too sick to drag my ass down here and type a few things. Also if you read my Our Little Secret fanfic, I'm taking a break on that until **_**after**_** Thanksgiving break. I'm all dried out on that. So I be back by Thursdayish? Well Bie!**


	9. Chapter 9

_I'm going to start off with reviews because the excuse is at the bottom, in case you want to see it._

_**Fischgirl- Thanks :)!**_

_**Shanedawsonfan-I'm a fan of Shane Dawson too! In addition, thanks!**_

_**DisneyAddictGirl-They will do that in the next chapter but I won't tell you why or it would be a total spoiler to everybody else.**_

_**WolfieRed23- Well more drama happens… that's for sure!**_

_**FloraIrmaTylee-I haven't heard that song before but I'll go listen to it now! Moreover, yes that was the limb I was going out on… to make Pitch hot, because you always hear about how he looks creepy :(. I was making Jack like a concerned boyfriend… Ooh, they are so cute togezzer!**_

Chapter 9

_**Rapunzel**_

The next three weeks is hell what with them being filled with fighting between Mother and me. We would go back and forth any time that we would see each other. It felt like World War III. I almost expected her to take out Weapons of Mass Destruction and blow up the whole block.

A blue jay out my window distracts me from my train of thought and I stare into its innocent black eyes. He chirps, cocks his head, and flies off. I'm left wondering why.

Of course, I get my answer in the next three seconds, when a snowball comes flying into my windowpane. I jump six feet and nearly fall off the bed.

A second comes flying after. I walk to the window carefully and I pull it up. Quite a shocker when a third snowball hits me, spraying me with cold. I gasp and hold my breath, my eyes shut tight.

"I'm sorry!" I hear down below me. I open an eye and there is Jack standing in the snow, his blue sweatshirt standing out among the white crystals.

I brush the snow off, "Well,_ hello_ to you too."

Jack looks up apologetically, "I had a feeling that throwing snowballs was safer than falling off vines and cracking my head open."

I laugh because it sounds so funny. On the other hand, maybe because I am sleep deprived from Mother's constant shouting.

As soon as I think of that, my face darkens and Jack sees because he stops laughing and moves closer to the house.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

I glare inwardly at my easy-to-read emotions and spit out, "Nothing."

Jack smirks, "No, really." I don't answer. "Listen, I read that when a woman says 'Nothing' to a question, that she wants to tell you." I hide a giggle, but remain stoic. Jack puts a hand on the vines. "Don't make me climb up there and bust my own head open." I full out laugh but I do not answer.

"I have to go," I say. Mother starts shouting again and I turn, not wanting to be in this house.

Jack starts climbing, but I shut the window and lock it, drowning out his aggravated, "Rapunzel!" I leave the room so that I do not see Jack's angry gaze.

_**Jack**_

I sit in the vines, waiting to see Rapunzel's sunshiny face appear. Five minutes roll by. Ten minutes loll. Fifteen minutes feel like eternity. Thirty is longer than infinite. In the end, I pull myself to the roof where frost coats the surface. I keep my feet on the gutter so I do not slide off.

Darkness falls and I see the lights go on in Rapunzel's room, the aura of light contrasting onto the snow. Music goes on and I hear a sigh through the many layers of the roof. I carefully maneuver myself to the edge of the roof and dangle my head across the window.

I let go of the gutter with one hand and tap the glass. Rapunzel gasps and turns to the window. When she sees it is me, she throws up the windowpane and looks at me.

"You will not stop, will you Frost?" Her hair swishes as she shakes her head.

I smirk, the blood rushing to my face, "Depends on how much I'm motivated."

Rapunzel chuckles and bites a lip, "You look pretty motivated."

"I am." I push myself up so that I am lying on my stomach. Rapunzel pokes her face up and grabs my hand.

With a little, "One… two… three," She hoists herself up and sits next to me. We stare at the stars, which look bright against the dark skies. The moon is a crescent tonight.

Rapunzel shivers and I lay an arm around her shoulders. She tenses then relaxes as if thinking, 'What the hell.'

Rapunzel shivers again, "You are _really _cold."

"That's what sitting outside on a frosty roof in the middle of winter will do to you," I smirk and look at the blonde.

Her golden hair rests against my chest. I lay back so that we are in a lying position, her head across my stomach. We stare off into the stars, both immersed in our own worlds.

A screechy scream comes form directly below us, "Rapunzel, get down here now!" The girl's brow wrinkles and she sighs.

"Okay, no more stalling, what's wrong?" I smile almost maliciously.

Rapunzel sighs, "Well, Mother thinks that you're a juvenile delinquent and prior to her household laws, I happen to be doing something illegal."

"What is illegal?"

She smiles mischievously, "Be with you."

I smile along with her and she straightens her back and sits upright next to me.

I lean closer to her and she looks at me, "Then looks like you're going to the Gothel house prison."

She crinkles her brow, "Why-?" I cut off her voice with a kiss. She seems shocked at first but then wraps her arms around my neck like a vise. Her lips are warm opposed to my ice-cold ones and Rapunzel pulls away, her eyes wide.

I sit back, "Yup, prison it is."

_**Rapunzel**_

Jack sits back, "Yup, prison it is." And all of a sudden, I do not care. I don't care about Mother's wrath, I don't care about the consequences, and I certainly don't care about her lying to me all my life. All I care about is Jack, in this moment, right now.

I smile at Jack's beautiful blue eyes, "I think I'm going to be leveled up to the Electric Chair." I lean forward into Jack's arms, shivering at his cold lips and chilly arms. I feel small pricks of ice on the back of my arms and I know it's snowing. It is possibly like one of those dramatic points in a movie when the whole audience, opposed to a few sleeping guys, go "Aawww!"

Only I don't care if the whole world is watching, I'm with Jack, in his arms, in his kisses, and that's all that matters.

We break apart when our lungs begin to cave from lack of oxygen and we smile at each other. Suddenly, an idea occurs to me, Jack was my first kiss! I feel giddy and floaty, if that is even a word. I feel shivers up my spine, but it's not from cold, it's from love.

Jack laughs into the snow-filled air, ending the lovely silence between us, "That was not a first timer kiss." The comment feels so mood crushing that I take a minute to reply.

"My first kiss was even better," I say, mischievously.

A flash of hurt crosses Jack's features but it is masked by a smile, "Oh yeah? Who?"

I quirk a brow, "Well he's tall, smart, funny, clever, a heart breaker, and definitely egotistical."

Jack smirks, "He sounds like a jerk."

I smile evilly, "Well, you'd think that you'd be kinder to yourself, what with the egotistical-ness." Jack stops and laughs. I smile at him, but the mood gets, one again, crushed by Mother, screaming for me to come downstairs.

I sigh, jumping back to not wanting to be here. I f only wishing on stars could work. Then every wish in the world could be completed and everyone could be happy.

I stare at a red, blinking star in the sky, "I wish I could meet them," I whisper. I could meet them, Mother would be gone and everything would be right.

"Who?" Jack whispers.

"My parents," I breathe back, still staring at the lonely star. The star is like me, lonely in the sky, where it stands, nothing near it for it to see.

Jack leans back and smiles, "I've been thinking about that."

I look away from the star, "Oh?"

"How would you like…?" He accents each word, "To go to Corona and meet them?"

_**Jack**_

The small blonde girl stares at first, with confusion clearly on her face. Then it seems to dawn on her.

Rapunzel wraps her arms around my neck and pushes me over so that I'm lying on my back, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I laugh as we slide a bit to the edge.

She finally pulls away, her eyes shining bright with excitement, "How will this work?" I look at her like, 'Huh?' She rolls her eyes, "It would take a lot of money to get gas money, food money, and if it takes more than a day then a hotel room." She blushes a bit when she says this. "You also need to figure out a route to this place, obviously."

I scoff, "Well with you here, I'll be lucky not to end up in the ocean."

"Also, when can we do this?" Rapunzel tucks a hair behind her ear, her huge green eyes looking through mine. "We can't just up and leave."

I tap my head, "Well Christmas break is coming and Manny, coincidentally, has a business trip until the twenty-third. The real question is you."

Her eyes widen, "Me?"

"How are you going to be able to leave without your 'Mother' calling the cops?" I quota "mother" on purpose. Rapunzel looks down cast.

"We've kind of been fighting lately," She bites her lip. I feel a flash of guilt.

She seems to shake herself, "But a have an idea, though it's a little bit messy." She moves to the vines. "Come on before you get hypothermia." She flashes a little smile and I return it, gladly.

Before I make it past her window, she says, "Also if you hear bloodcurdling screams, feel free to call the cops." I wait for her to laugh or smile, but nope, she looks dead serious. I nod and make the rest of the way down the vines.

When I reach the sidewalk, she calls out my name. I turn and she waves before I copy. Then I walk across the road and walk into the silent, Manny-less house.

_**Hola people! I am so sorry that this is so late :(. I have been busy lately with my job. Yeah… horses are not cheep. So how will Jack and Rapunzel get to Corona? Put your comments down because I have no clue… I am joking…not really. Well I swear on my life this time that I will get this done by Thursday 12:00 pm that I will get this done (I mean New York City time zone). So bye!**_


	10. Chapter 10

Hey, I decided to make this chapter filler because I was excited for some reason and I needed to funnel that excitement into art. Poetic I know!

**LittleIcicle- I was just typing this up when I got your review. So is this soon enough?**

**FloraBlue- I do not know about Hiccup and Merida helping, too late for the runaway Merida thing but they could help somehow. In addition, it would help with a strengthening Mericcup maybe.**

**PrancerDancer- I'm safe from your threat! For now.**

**WolfieRed23- You are welcome! I knew that you ordered that specifically and I put in one of your ideas in this chapter filler! In addition, you got your couple question answered… sort of.**

**FloraIrmaTylee-More adorable than Toothless the dragon or Toothless the puppy? Because it is tough to beat Toothless in puppy form in a cuteness contest, let me tell yah!**

**Okay enough conversations, time to chapter it up!**

Chapter 10

_**Rapunzel**_

After Jack walks through his door, I mentally panic. _What the hell do I tell Mother? _I grip my knee length hair in frustration. _Not to mention, how are we going to get to Corona, hitchhike?_ (***Winks at WolfieRed23***). Mother calls out from below me and I try to make out what she is saying, but her words are muffled.

I walk to the stairs, "Yes Mother?" I look down into the living room where Mother sits, fingers pinching her brow.

She looks up at me, her eyes troubled, "Rapunzel, I would like to apologize." I stair in shock at her, since when has she ever apologized to me? "I'm just so tired of all the fighting and I realized that the fighting is coming from both sides." She stands with her arms out and pulls me into an embrace. Then she _has_ to ruin the moment, "In this case I'm the bad guy too."

Mother pulls back and pushes my bangs from my face and tucking them behind my ear. I pull her back into a hug, "Thank you Mother. I love you," Mother chuckles and smoothes the back of my hair.

Then guilt shoots through me, I am supposed to be leaving in a few days to find my real parents and instead I'm hugging a criminal!

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so go and get washed up! I'm making hazelnut so-up!" Mother smiles and pushes me to the stairs and the guilt escalates. I make my way up the stairs and into the bathroom Mother and I share. I wash my hands and splash water onto my face. I reach up for a small hand towel and my eyes catch my reflection.

The girl in the looking glass has long blonde hair and green eyes and small freckles dotting her nose. A flash of a person's face runs through my head, and I realize that the face is Caroline, my real mother. Her green eyes replicate mine and her skin seems to glow. I step back from the glass but crash right into mother's makeup cabinet, resulting gin my head hitting the ground and a huge crash.

Pain explodes in my head and I vaguely hear Mother calling out my name. I stumble to my feet and make my way to the banister above the stairs. _Cold heart, cold heart, _I think though my brain like a litany.

"Rapunzel? Are you alright?" Mother asks.

I make my way through the door to the staircase, "You're not my mother," I mutter. I stare at the ground.

I can practically hear Mother roll her eyes, "Please speak up Rapunzel, you know how I hate the mumbling!"

"You are not my mother, are you?" I look up, the litany still pounding in my brain. Her face shows that I am right. "Did I mumble, Mother? Or should I even call you that?" My voice decrescendos to a whisper and mother waves the air like there is a fly.

She scoffs, ascending the stairs to where I stand, "Rapunzel, do you even hear yourself? Why would you ask such a _ridiculous_ question?" She tries to hug me into manipulation.

I push her away, "It was you! It was all you!"

"Everything I did was to protect _you_," Her face sneers.

Something inside of me snaps and I push her away to go descend the stairs, ignoring her shout of my name.

"I've spent my entire _life_ away from my parents who would care for me with every pure intention! Instead, you stole me-"

"Rapunzel!"

"-from that hospital, away from my family!" I stop at the bottom of the stairs and stare defiantly at Mother.

"Where will you go?" Her voice goes serious and hushed. "He won't be there for you; he's a heart breaker, an addict, a delinquent, and a sexist pig!" She chuckles softly, "Not to mention your parents, they only got their money through drugs and illegal alcohols."

Something tells me not to believe her, but old habits are hard to break and I stare at the floor, tears forming, "Now, now, it's alright all of this is as it should be." She reaches up to pat my head. In a split second, I have her wrist crushed in my hand.

"No!" I stare at her struggling figure. "You were wrong about my family, you were wrong about my boyfriend," _May as well say it_, I think to myself. "And you were wrong about _me._" My voice rises to a shout. "And I will _never_ let you manipulate me again!" I let go of my handhold and push her away. I glare at her and start towards the door.

"You want me to be the bad guy?" I hear faintly behind me, and a warning bell goes off but I ignore it. "Fine, now I'm the bad guy."

**Holy shit, Gothel sounds f**king serious**

**Ha-ha yeah, ya'll liked that didn't you? Well the real thing will be here in the next couple of days because this is more like a chapter filler that I typed up. In addition, I wanted to thank everybody who has read, reviewed, followed, favorited, and more! Without you people helping me, I would not have made it this far in the fan fiction world! I love you all! So bye then!**


	11. Chapter 11

"_He did the mash. _He did the monster mash! _The monster mash!"_

"**It was a graveyard smash! **_**He did the mash**_**. It got caught on in a flash. **_**He did the mash! **_**He did the monster mash!"**

"_**Aaaah woooooh! Aaaah! Woooh! Ah ah ah woooh!"**_

**What did you think of my mashing? Pretty good right? I decided to get into the spirit of Halloween and sing this song for you because Santa knows that you have not heard it enough.**

**Spanishchica- I have different ideas that feel half-assed. If you want to start a fan fiction than all you need to do is find a typing document (I use Microsoft Word), make your story, listen to the editor on the typing document, and proofread. Although, I will admit that I've been lazy with my proofreading.**

**I'm takinnames- Gosh you scared me for a second there but I will hug you back *hugs back*.**

**FloraIrmaTylee- Thanks! I'm a big fan of your fictions btw!**

**DisneyAddictGirl- That is a good question… Can I get back to you in a few minutes of thinking time?**

**PrancerDancer- Whoa slow down girly, now bits and pieces are going to hit me and I doubt anybody else wants to get hit with explosion bits.**

**WolfieRed23- Thank you! You just brightened my day! Best All Hallow's Evening ever!**

** Whoa, that took a while! Enjoy!**

Chapter 11

_**Jack**_

An hour after I had left Rapunzel's house, I heard doors slam across the street. I had a distinct feeling that Rapunzel was mixed up in that.

I shoved on my snow boots and take off down the stairs. I stop below Rapunzel's window and a memory of reading the Brothers Grimm Rapunzel. Yeah… how is that supposed to help me in life? Sure, she has long hair, but still, it is not twenty feet long! I notice the vines and mentally face palm. _Well duh! Climb dumb-dumb! _I grip the vines and pull my body up. The stems cut into my palms and sweat slides down my brow. Yet I have only climbed up ten feet.

I manage to _not _fall off and I climb to Rapunzels window. I grip the edges and pull up with all my might. It swings open and I grapple in.

"Mother stop this!" I hear Rapunzel yell. I hear another door slam.

Gothel's decibels rise higher than Rapunzel's, "You're the one that started this! If you don't love me than get out!" I look around the room and notice things missing in closet and desk. I step down the stairs, quietly. I see Rapunzel behind a fallen suitcase with her shoulders shaking. Gothel's fists are tightened and I can see rage and heartbreak written across her face.

"Please, Mother…" Rapunzel whimpers, holding out to the imposter of a mother.

Gothel points to the door "Get out! Go live with your parents if you really hate me!" She struts to the suitcase and tosses it at Rapunzel who teeters back from the sudden weight.

Rapunzel tries one last time, "Mother…" Gothel turns away from the blonde girl and Rapunzel straightens her back and marches out to her old truck.

I race around the hall and into Rapunzel's now abandoned room and climb down the vines in a hurry. Rapunzel is just sitting in the truck, a hand over her face. I walk to the truck and open the shotgun door.

"Hey," I say softly. I sit next to Rapunzel and I watch her shoulders shake. She turns and hugs me, her tears blending into my blue jacket. Her wailing muffled. I kiss her head and we stay like this for several minutes. Finally she pulls away, her warmth going with her.

She smiles but it does not reach her eyes, "So… are we about ready to leave?"

_Leave? She wants to leave now. _Then I remember that she does not have a place to stay other wise.

"Let me just go get my suitcase," I say. I'd already filled a suitcase since I didn't know when we were leaving. I ran to my house and picked up my suitcase full of necessities. I carry my suitcase and Rapunzel turns the keys.

Somehow I know this will happen and the truck clicks and dies. "No! Not now! Not today!" Rapunzel cries.

I place a hand on her arm, "Its okay. We'll find a way there."

Rapunzel looks up, "Don't you have a car?"

"No," I say bluntly. "We only have the Lexus and Manny has to use it to get to where he's going."

She nods, "I guess we only have one option… or two."

"What is that?"

She looks up with a smile, "Abort the idea or take the bus."

_**Rapunzel**_

Honestly, I was surprised when Jack said yes to the bus transit. There are enough stereotypes in the bus transit than kids in a toy store. However, it's better than hitch hiking or just plain staying home.

When we get to the bus station, there is a small line. Jack goes over with our bags to the security and I walk to the counter to pay for tickets.

The woman looks up from the computer screen, "What do you need sweetie?"

"Two tickets to Corona," I hold out my money and she takes it. She clicks the bills into a cash register and hands back two pink tickets and a set of wristbands.

"You're going to go to the right to the station five and the next bus will be here in…" She checks her computer then looks up and smiles. "…An hour."

I thank her and meet Jack at the baggage claim. He picks up my purple bag and his brown bag. Handing him his ticket and wristband, I tell him directions to station five. From there I go through security then to station five where at least nine people are standing. It takes me a while to navigate to where Jack is standing, what with it being nine o'clock at night.

He leans down and whispers in my ear, "These people are a little annoying."

I give him a dubious look, "You've only been here for five minutes, how can you _already _be annoyed."

Jack points to a singing old couple with a guitar, "They started singing." I nudge him in the ribs, giggling. I kneel to the ground and sit. I pull out a book that I have been working on in English, The Great Gatsby. I had not seen the movie yet but I will after I read the book.

Before long the bus is here and I notice more people arriving. Jack holds out his hand.

"Come on, the bus is here," He says with a sweet smile.

I grip his hand and say teasingly, "Oh? I never noticed."

We make our way onto the bus and we take a seat a few rows away from the door. I reopen my book and begin to read again but I hadn't gon every far when an oddly accented voice called me back.

"Helloo theere, my name ees Sally Hapkins," I look up and there is a brown haired woman with curled bangs wearing a straw hat.

"Hi Mrs. Hapkins," I say as nicely as possible.

"No no no Hapkins with an o," Sally says. "We're from North Dakota, U.S. of A."

Mrs. Hopkins gestures for our names and I point to Jack, "This is Jack Frost and I'm Rapunzel Gothel." My voice trembles on "Gothel" and I hope she doesn't notice.

"Ohh, very nice to meetcha, my husband should be on here by now," Mrs. Hopkins says looking at the bus door. She looks at us. "So what'cha doin' goin' to Corona, as young as yourselves?"

I see Jack's eyes widen at this and I step in quickly, "We're friends at Burgess Tech and our families are in Corona. We were planning to go down there for Christmas break but my car broke down and his was in the shop getting a bumper fixed."

Mrs. Hopkins waves a hand, "Well now you get to enjoy our company don't cha?" I smile and nod and Mrs. Hopkins moves to the seat behind us. When an old man walks down the aisle of seats, Mrs. Hopkins starts waving her hand fiercely.

"Ova here Bob, ova here," She shouts in the thin bus. Jack sighs and leans back into his seat.

"What is it?" I ask.

Jack smirks ruefully, "They're the singing couple." _Great. Singing on the road, how much more stereotypical can you get?_ I think. A few minutes later, everybody finishes loading their suitcases and get on and the bus drives off. We make our way onto the highway.

Maybe not an hour into the trip, the Hopkins stand up with a guitar strapped across the old man's shoulders and a mallet set across the woman's.

"Hello there everybody, My name is Sally Hopkins and I am going to sing a song," She claps her hands and smiles ear to ear. "Are you ready Bob?" Bob Hopkins grunts. "Okay a one… a two… a one, two, three, four. Roll, roll, roll your wheels gently down the road, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, picking up hobos."

I look at Jack who is staring at the old couple mouthing, _what the hell?_ I giggle at his shocked face and he smiles at me.

The couple ends their song and sits down and everyone around us mutters thank you. Jack puts in headphones and I guess falls asleep. I look at his sleeping figure and I smile before kissing his cheek. I look out the window at the speeding ground.

"Hey," someone behind me whisper shouts. A hand appears through the seat dividers and I see a business card. "Just in case of fighting." I take the card and look at it.

Sally Hopkins

Love Extraordinaire

Have a problem? I can fix it with my amazing therapy for couples. Divorce, cheating, new parents to be, I can help!

4023 Gopher Rd., Sioux, ND 47239

The business card has hearts all around the text and a pink backdrop. I look behind me at the seat divider. Mrs. Hopkins smiles and nods at the card and I read the last line.

Call 888-GET-LOVE to book an appointment today!

I slip the card into my bag and lean against the cool window glass. My weary eyes shut and I slide into a dream.

"**There's something strange… in the neighborhood. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! If there is something weird…And it don't look good, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! ... I aint afraid of no ghost….I aint afraid of no ghost!"**

**I felt that you needed to hear that because… Who you going to call? Ghostbusters! I know kind of short. I was rushing, so give me credit. See you next week! Have to go trick or treat with my younger siblings because they are driving me crazy by ruing my cowgirl outfit. Err! Bye!**


	12. Chapter 12

Let me just start out with an apology to the North Dakotans. The only reason I put the couple in there was that my grandpapa went to a North Dakota college. His roommate's parents were like that. They are still close today! Therefore, it is all good! I'm taking names- Thank you! I love that song and I decided to annoy/happify you people with it!

**PrancerDancer- Oh my gosh! You made me feel so guilty after saying that because I forgot to apologize to the North Dakotans who **_**are not **_**like that.**

**Alice Gone Mad- How so?**

**Spanishchica- Wait those are just the minor steps. You will probably need to pick up a few steps to write like a novice author (because I am excessively amateur to give you tips). I would ask your language arts teacher if you are still in school or pick up a book from the library.**

**Jaynie- You guys ask THE most tough questions EVER! **

**FloraIrmaTylee- Thanks! I made sure to add my grandmammy's weirdness to these people.**

Chapter 12

_**Jack**_

Early in the morning, an awestruck gasp wakes me. I slide an eye open and flip my hood out of my eyesight. Rapunzel sits at the window, gaping at the view. We are still a long way from Corona, but you can see the ancient castle's tops. I smile at the blonde's amazed features.

I sit up and pull my blue hood over my head. The bus driver sits hunched over the wheel, barricading the traffic behind us.

A loud snore echoes out behind us and I guess it is either Bob or Sally Hopkins. We go over a bump in the road and the snore cuts off.

"The werewolves! They are surrounding the cabin! Get the silver bullets," I hear screeched out behind me. Yeah, that was Mrs. Hopkins. She juts her eyes between the bus chair and looks from Rapunzel and me. "My bad! My bad! I have been having those dreams since I read _Twilight_. What a scary novel." She shudders and I see Rapunzel holding back a laugh.

Mrs. Hopkins disappears from view and Rapunzel leans back from the window, "I'm going to need you to be my guide." She whispers. "I've never been to Corona before."

I smile and say, "Let me think about it." She elbows me and giggles. A responding "Shh" quiets her laughter. I glare in the direction of the shush-er. After a few minutes of silence, a buzzing noise comes from Rapunzel. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and frowns at the screen.

"Merida?" She whispers. She turns to me, "Sorry, I have to take this." I nod and she walks to the back of the bus.

I lean back in the seat and let out a breath. I shut my eyes and try to shut off my brain, which appears fruitless since the Hopkins stands up with the guitar and the xylophone set.

"Okay everybody, if you know this song feel free to sing along too," Sings Mrs. Hopkins. Moans reply to her declaration of song. "Okay a one… a two… a one, two, three, go!" Bob and Sally Hopkins start a chorus of various nursery songs.

I groan and lay a hand across my eyes. _End me! End me now! _I think desperately.

_**Rapunzel**_

As soon as I make it to the end of the bus, I tap the start button. The call goes through in a few seconds.

"Hello?" I say tentatively.

"Where are yoo?" A voice shouts through the speaker.

"Merida, what do you mean?"

"Ah went to yeh're house and yoo weren't thar!" The red head screams.

I sigh, "I'm heading to Corona right now, with Jack Frost."

"YEH'RE WHAT?"

"I'm going to Corona, right now," I state.

"Yoo turn yeh're ass aroond right now!" I hear a thump in the background, and guess she is stamping her foot.

"I can't, I'm on a public bus speeding towards Corona," I reply.

"Damn! How else well Ah get mah report dun on biology?" Merida says hopelessly.

I quirk a brow, "Shouldn't you do your homework, I don't know, on your own?"

"How exactly do Ah doo tha'?"

"Here right this down: Step one: Open science book. Step two: Read pages. Step three: Get a pencil. Step four-"

"Aright, aright! Ah'll do et!" Merida intones.

I smile a congratulatory smile, "Good!"

"But expect many phone calls!"

I smile ruefully, "I wouldn't doubt that."

I hang up the call and step out of the little passageway between the bathroom and the seats. As I walk among the aisle, I hear the Hopkins singing themselves hoarse. I scoot around them quickly only to be caught in Mrs. Hopkins' hand hold.

"Where are you going?" Sally Hopkins questions like it's totally obvious.

"Huh?"

She holds open her arms and the force nearly knocks out her husband, "Sing us a song, dearie! I'm sure you have a sweet little voice in that head of yours!"

I wave my hands frantically and make up a lie, "Nope, no singer in this head." I have really been singing since I was little. I even learned the guitar (But let's not tell them that).

She pulls the guitar off Bob and straps it onto my own shoulders. She motions for me to play something. I gulp and glance at Jack. He has his head back against the seat with headphones poking out from underneath his ears.

Suddenly I feel the need to play a song that I hold dear to my heart. I start strumming the guitar to tune it. _Jeez, have they ever heard of a tuner? _I ask silently. When all the strings are set, I strum a few notes just to get the key right.

"Hold on to me as we go, as we roll down this unfamiliar road.

And all though this wave is stringing us along,

Just know you're not alone, 'cause I'm going to make this place your own.

Settle down, it'll all be clear,

Don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear.

The trouble, it might drag you down.

If you get lost, you can always be found.

Just know you're not alone, 'cause I'm going to make this place your own."

As I go into the "oohs" I look up to see Sally Hopkins gaping as I go on each pitch, Bob Hopkins looking at my fingers with each chord, Jack peeking an eye open and looking across the aisle at me, and all the other bus attendants either grumbling or staring in awe.

"Settle down, it'll all be clear.

Don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear.

The trouble it might drag down, if you get lost you can always be found.

Just know you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna make this place your home."

"_Aaah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah… Aah ah ah ah ah.. Aah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah aaah… Aah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah… Aah ah ah ah… Aah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah aah."_

I sing the last part again and afterwards, everyone claps, even those who grumbled at my singing.

"Oh my goodness! You have quite a voice!" Mrs. Hopkins said as she elbowed me. I stand up and hand her the guitar. "I would dare say that it's better than mine."

I smile and laugh politely then take a seat next to Jack.

He pulls out an earplug, "What was that about?" He leans closer to me so that I can see every fleck of dark blue in his eyes.

"Uhm... what?" I say distractedly.

He smiles, "When did you learn to play guitar?"

"A few years ago," I smile at the memory. "I used to dance around my room and sing what I was doing."

The bus drivers suddenly calls out, "Corona is five minutes away." I gasp and whirl around to see it. The towers of the ancient castle stretch far above the puny bus. The main land broke off and the small bridge branched onto the small island. The bus parked in a parking lot about a block from the bridge. Jack and I wait on the bus while everyone else rushed to the door. After the mass exodus ended, Jack and I stood and pulled our suit cases from below our seats.

Outside, the air was almost steaming, and I pull off my jacket. I feel a pull toward to the island, but Jack pulls me away.

"The hotels are on the main-land," Jack states. I glance back at the island then follow Jack on the side-walk.

We walk one after the other, until I break the silence, "So, where did you leave here?" I hop over the curb and we cross the street.

"On the north side of the island," Jack replies in front of me.

I glance back at the castle, "How old is the castle?"

"Over three hundred years old," Jack slows down so he's next to me. "The most memorable time of it's era was when a princess was lost for eighteen years and they released lanterns every year on her birthday."

My mind clicks with remembrance of this, "Oh yeah, I remember learning that. Only, that was a few years ago." We keep walking down the street in a sketchy part of town. I skirt a few bits of trash in the sidewalk.

Jack begins telling me the story about a girl who was stolen as an infant and taken away for eighteen years and the lanterns' background.

"Why did they let the lanterns go when she was born and not after she was stolen?" I asked.

Jack shrugs, "I don't know, maybe to lift the spirits of the people after a hard winter?" He keeps the story going and finishes it when we reach a hotel. Jack checks us in and helps me with the bags. We set them onto the bed and immediately start exploring the city.

When we cross the bridge, I race ahead and turn only once to hold my face and mouth 'wow!' I stare at the towers and hop with each step. I work my way around the people and stare at the streets in awe. Cars are too big to fit on the tiny roads so bikes and walking are the biggest transportation. I take a step forward, and nearly am run over by a speeding bicycle. I jump back, hair covering my eyes, and run into plenty of people.

"Excuse me! I'm sorry! Excuse me!" I lose my balance and Jack straightens me.

A couple auburn haired girls notice my knee length hair and pull me to a fountain where we create a braiding train. I do the youngest girl's hair and twist it up above her head.

When they finish I stair at it in wonder, It's now reaching just above my waist and is thick as my hand. The girls also wove flowers into the braid.

"Thank you!" I say, twirling.

The oldest one steps forward from the giggling quartet of girls, "Are you in town to see the lanterns?"

"Lanterns? I though that was on the lost princess' birthday," I say.

The oldest holds her hands behind her back, "They do the lanterns on every holiday… well except for Halloween and Easter. This time it will be tonight, the Winter Solstice."

I notice Jack in the corner of my eye, "Well we have to go, thank you for the braid!"

A chorus of 'you're welcome' replies to me. We walk through a market and I speed along and show Jack a beautiful green fruit before pulling him along to other booths. We finally stop at a bread booth where Jack and I stand in line. I turn to look beside us and a beautiful marble mural stands on the wall. A golden haired baby and a king and queen stand tall in royal clothes.

Beside it are the same king and queen but a girl with chopped brown hair and a man with wavy brown hair. Below the first mural is a young girl and her mother.

The girl picks up a flower and sets it below the mural, "It's for the lost princess."

I look at the two murals one last time before the trill of a clarinet pulls me away. The music legatos into a fast beat and my feet dance to the beat. I glance at Jack's face and he's seems surprised to see me dancing around the square.

I move to the edge where I pull the boy into the mix laughing as he keeps up with me. I pull a girl with a green dress on and a pink bandana by circling my elbow into hers. I grab a man's hand and his friend laughs. I pull a few more people in and everyone starts to clap.

We dance all in a circle, me at the beginning of the line that we formed. My breathing came out peaked and I wanted to dance faster. Jack joins at the edge of the circle and I motion for him to join. He waves his hand with a weird look on his face. Luckily, someone else pulls him in.

I think about the other things that I want to do while here. I do know that we have to find my parents, but after all, You Only Live Once. We could go to the big Corona library, or get one of those flags of Corona that I saw displayed on the streets, or tour the amazing castle. The possibilities were endless.

My thoughts are interrupted when a few people and I break away to kick high into the air. The audience shouts in admiration. I notice Jack in my peripheral vision trying to get away from some girls. I feel a flare of jealousy and dance my way to where Jack is. I loop my arm into his elbow and smile up at him. He looks down thankfully. The dance continues and I pull away from Jack to dance with a little girl.

The music speeds until, with a final note, Jack and I stop, right in each other's arms. We stand there in shock for a moment before separating. The audience claps and whoops before dispersing.

I blush and look at the ground, "So… uh… I was thinking that we… uh… go to the… uh… place?" I stutter.

"How about we just walk around?" Jack asks. We turn and walk around the other streets around us. We did go to the library and I was amazed by the atlases that they had. We stopped at a cupcake café that Jack swore had the best in town. They were not.

I stopped in a small square to draw with some children. I drew a sun with purple vines curving out of the rays. The flag that I paid for helped a bit.

Finally, it turned dark and a voice echoed out onto the streets, "To the boats!"

I turned to Jack, who was looking at fruit, "That's right, the lanterns are tonight."

He nods, "I haven't been to one in a while."

From my vantage point on the street, I can see people paying for boats and stepping into them. I motion for Jack to follow and we walk to the harbor.

The clerk holds out a bag and I drop a few coins in and Jack helps me in. He jumps in and catches an oar. We float out a couple hundred feet before we break the silence.

It only begins because worries are nagging at me, "What will they be like?" I whisper.

Jack pauses rowing, "Who?"

"My parents, will they be kind? Or caring? Will they listen to me and believe me?" I stare at the skies uncertainly.

The white haired boy presses his hand upon mine, "If you be yourself, I'm sure they'll love you."

I look down at the water, "But what happens after I meet them?" I hold my breath. "Will I have to stay here?"

Jack's voice whispers into my ear, "You get to find a new dream."

I'm about to reply when a blinking light draws my attention. I stare at it through the rippling water, hardly daring to breathe. I look up and see it glow. I leap from my seat and jump to the front of the boat, not even noticing Jack cry out. Thousands more lanterns flow out from behind the leader. The boats around us release their lanterns and they join the others. I stare at the floating lights around us, absorbing their glow.

I look behind me, and Jack sits behind me, smirk planted on lips, lanterns tethered to hands. I smile and sit in front of him. He hands me a lantern, but before we let go, Jack speaks.

"Listen, Rapunzel, I… I know your parents," Jack says, eyes closed. My mouth falls open. "I wanted to keep it quiet, but I hate keeping this from you. I was just scared that you would get angry… you know what I mean?"

I lean closer and smile, "I'm starting to." Together we let the lanterns go and they swirl around each other until we lose sight of them.

_**Jack **_

I look down from the flying lanterns and look at Rapunzel. Her mouth hanging open happily, she points at a lantern close to the water. She leans over the rippling surface and pushes the lone lantern back into the sky where it melts in with the glowing shapes.

I reach for her hand and she smiles at me before giving mine a squeeze. The glow illuminates her face with a pinkish orange-ish light. We lean closer and closer until we are inches apart. I lift my hand to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. I place my hand on her jaw and our lips meet. After a moment, we pull back. A smile seems permanently stuck to my face.

Rapunzel looks behind me to the forest. Her eyes open wide and she takes the oar from the side of the boat and begins rowing there.

I stare at her, "What is it?"

She doesn't look at me, "I… I saw something there."

We land on the sand and I help pull the boat up, "What is it, Rapunzel?"

"Nothing!" She sighs and looks confused. "I'll be right back." I watch her walk along the sand, head down, braid unraveling, until she turns out of sight. I sigh and sit on a rock a few feet away from the boat and wait for Rapunzel.

_**Rapunzel**_

As I walk along the beach, I see a flashlight beam come from the forest and head that way. _I saw her, I'm certain it was her._ A yellow flashlight had illuminated her face and she had stepped back into the forest. I burst through the bracken to find an abandoned fire. I stared at it until I heard a voice behind me.

"Well, I've been here for ten minutes where have you been?" The voice called. I turned to see Mother behind me.

"Mother?" I stared in shock. She looked ten years older, with wrinkles, gray hairs, and red-rimmed eyes.

"Hello dear," She purrs taking a small step forward.

"But I-I-I- don't... how did you find me?" She pulls me into a hug.

She taps my nose, "Oh, it was easy, really, I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that." I pull away.

"But it was _you _who betrayed _me_," I state.

"We're going home, Rapunzel," She reaches for my wrist but I snatch it away. "Now."

I step away, "But I'm so close to my parents. I need to find them. And I can't leave Jack, he's waiting for me."

"Right the juvenile delinquent, I'm so proud," She says sarcastically. "Come on Rapunzel." She gets a good grip on my hand and pulls me to the other edge of the woods.

"I think he _really _likes me. Loves me, maybe."

Mother turns, scorn in her eyes, "Loves you? Please, Rapunzel, that's demented."

"But Mother I-"

"This is why you never should have left," She walks in front of the fire. "Dear, this whole romance that you've invented proves that you're too naïve to be here." She circles around me. "Why would he like you? Now, really, look at you, you think that he's impressed?" She flips my braid in my face and I cough out stray pieces of hair. "Don't be a dummy; come with Mommy, Mother…"

"No!" I shout.

"No? Oh I see how it is," Her eyes become dangerous slits and I take a step back. "Rapunzel knows best, Rapunzel's so mature now, such a clever grown up miss." She pats my head as she sings. "Rapunzel knows best, fine... if you're so sure now let me just see you miss!"

"What?" I breathe.

"You're not why he's here. Don't let him deceive you. Don't give in to what you see!" She walks to me with angry eyes. "Trust me my dear," She snaps her fingers. "That's how fast he'll leave you. I won't say I told you so!" She circles me and I watch my breath coming quick. "No, Rapunzel knows best!" She leans up against me and rolls her shoulders. "So if he's such a dream boat, go and put him to the test!"

She strolls away and I reach my arm out, "Mother wait!"

"If he's lying don't come crying …Mother knows best!" She disappears from the clearing. I hold my face and even my breathing. When I've calmed down, I walk back to the beach where Jack stands.

"Hey, so what were you…" He trails off when he sees my face. "Are you okay?"

I nod and we get back into the boat and paddle our way back to the harbor.

**Yeah! A week in the making! I made that especially long on porpoise. Also I edited the song so that it fits the story a bit better, because I think Rapunzel would be a little confused if Gothel suddenly threw her a crown worth millions in cash… yeah… I would be too. See you by next Sunday. Sorry to those peeps who are ahead of my time zone. Get on my level, thuglife!**


End file.
